if you have “potential”

I am very happy to be in the 25% who call out systemic discrimination that is built into our system: racism, gender inequality, homophobia

#IAmThe25Percent

And I will stay in that group until all have timely access to quality care

Until mincéir (1) https://twitter.com/OrthopodReg/status/1286408636634402816

(2) children have the same health outcomes as the rest of us

Until the medical practitioners act is revised & internationally trained colleagues have equitable access to training & progression

Until every member of the LGBTQ community is valued equally

I will be in the 25%

(3) the status quo benefits many of us

And it benefits almost all in positions of power

It is very uncomfortable when you realize that some of your achievements were facilitated by your privilege

We get no prizes for that

And it takes translating that discomfort into action

(4) for me it is about what society I want to pass on to my kids

I want it to be one where we are living sustainably in harmony with the planet

I want their achievements to be earned not byproducts of privilege

I want to eradicate social inequality: that makes for a safer

(5) happier society

And when they get sick I want to know that they will have timely access to quality care that is independent of socio economic status

@stephensfilms wrote an amazing book about his experiences as a public patient with cancer. I want his experience of timely

(6) access to patient centred care, which we do really well in cancer, cardiology, stroke & many others to be the experience of EVERY patient

I want to live in a society where we value the lived experience of carers & we support them adequately both financially & with respite

(7) so to come back to this paper:

it’s so safe as a doctor to say nothing on SoMe: never speak in a harsh tone, no profanity (though I do avoid this on twitter), avoiding the uncomfortable realities that the cost of accessing care can be impoverishing for patients

(8) it is clear that for some of the authors at least that silence is “professional”

I see it as complicity

An abdication of our responsibility to advocate for our patients

So whether it’s speaking up on Black lives matter, or calling out the daily discrimination that

(9) the mincéir community face every single day (imagine how much those microaggressions distract them from achieving their own goals)

Or calling out the gaslighting of NCHDs when they raise issues around illegal rosters (thank you @DrMarianneH) & not being paid on time again

(10) (thank you @RoisinTheGinger)

We must continue to speak up in these uncomfortable places

Most especially for our patients

For our colleagues especially those more vulnerable due to locum contracts or transient rotations

To do otherwise is to choose safety over courage

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