Oxford University tutor and local surgeon picks up special award
A prestigious medal has been presented following the study
A Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) has been awarded the prestigious Colyer Gold Medal from the Royal College of Surgeons.
Daljit Dhariwal, also the President for the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (BAOMS) and a tutor in Surgery at the University of Oxford, won the award alongside Professor Carrie Newlands from the University of Surrey.
The pair were recognised for their “ground-breaking contribution to the profession and wider society” in relation to their most recent research that highlighted widespread sexual misconduct, including harassment and assault within the UK surgical workforce.
The study, published in the British Journal of Surgery, analysed responses from 1,434 participants, over half of whom were women. It found that 63.3% of women and 23.7% of men experienced sexual harassment from colleagues in the last five years.
Daljit was a founding member of the Working Party on Sexual Misconduct in Surgery (WPSMS) and continues to work with key stakeholders to improve sexual safety in the workplace.
Daljit, an OUH consultant since 2006, said:
“I am proud and humbled to receive this prestigious award for showing leadership in my educational roles and for my work on sexual misconduct in surgery. I continue to work in this space to support effective action for all healthcare staff.
“This is an important issue and this work has been the most impactful of my career thus far. I am pleased that OUH is leading the way in creating safe spaces and educational tools to tackle sexual misconduct, and acknowledge the real heroes are those who speak up about their experiences.
“As a leader, it is an honour and a responsibility to ensure there is a voice for those who have not found theirs yet and, although it is not easy to raise difficult subjects, it is the right thing to do.”