An Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) consultant surgeon has been recognised for her research into sexual misconduct in the country's surgical workforce.
Daljit Dhariwal, a consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon and president for the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, won the Colyer Gold Medal from the Royal College of Surgeons in partnership with professor Carrie Newlands from the University of Surrey.
The Colyer Gold Medal is awarded at irregular intervals for "excellence in oral health care, for service to the faculty, contributions to the profession or wider society through actions or discoveries".
Ms Dhariwal and Ms Newlands were lauded for their "ground-breaking contribution to the profession and wider society".
They received the honour for their research that cast light on widespread sexual misconduct, including harassment, assault, and rape, within the UK surgical workforce.
Their analysis of responses from 1,434 participants concluded that over the past five years, 63.3 per cent of women and 23.7 per cent of men have suffered sexual harassment from colleagues.
Ms Dhariwal was a founding member of the Working Party on Sexual Misconduct in Surgery and continues to work with key stakeholders to improve sexual safety in the workplace.
She 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 am pleased that OUH is leading the way in creating safe spaces and educational tools to tackle sexual misconduct.
"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.
"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."
Ms Daljit’s biography at the award ceremony read: “Her leadership style places a strong emphasis on an inclusive, accountable and patient centred approach.”
She has been awarded several times for her services to the profession and for her attempts at improving services at OUH.
Professor Meghana Pandit, chief executive officer at OUH, said: "Daljit’s important work on highlighting sexual misconduct in surgery, as well as her patient-centred approach to care, is leading to positive change within healthcare.
"The Colyer Gold medal recognises this excellence and is something we can be proud of as an organisation.
"On behalf of the trust, I want to congratulate Daljit on receiving this well-deserved honour.”
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