About the Widening Participation and Wellbeing Group
The Widening Participation & Well Being Group's (WP&WBG) key aims are to understand, develop and maintain Equity, inclusion and diversity, and improve on well being within the urological community.
The group members are Joe Philip (Chair), Mahua Sahu (Trustee), Tim Lane (President Elect for the Royal College of Surgeons of England), Judith Mitchell (Executive), Kathryn Bandeira, Nikita Bhatt, Stefanos Bolomytis, Nigel Borley, Lizzie Dharocca, Brian Duggan, Yinka Gbolahan, Joanne Girling, Mriganka Mani, Kelly Ong, Hasan Qazi, Sophie Rintoul-Hoad, Matthew Shaw, and Helen Simpson.
The group holds regular virtual meetings.
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The Widening Participation & Wellbeing Group (WP&WB), which includes representation from two Trustees, and the President Elect for the Royal College of Surgeons of England and reports directly to the BAUS Board, has continued to progress a number of strategic workstreams aligned to the Association’s commitment to building an inclusive, supported, and sustainable urological workforce.
Over the past year, the Group has strengthened collaboration across BAUS sections and committees, focusing on practical initiatives that promote equity of opportunity, professional wellbeing, and leadership development across the membership - see further detail below.
Parents in Urology
The Group worked closely with the BAUS Section of Trainees (BSoT) to support the development of two key guidance documents.
These documents provide practical, accessible guidance to support members at parenting stages. This work represents an important step in fostering a culture where career progression and family life can be balanced, supporting workforce retention and professional fulfilment.
Wellbeing and Resilience
A pilot BAUS Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT) programme, led by Olivia Donnelly, Maddy Greville-Harris, and Kevin Turner, is scheduled to launch in Spring 2026.
This initiative aims to equip trainees with practical, evidence-based skills to manage workplace pressures, maintain professional effectiveness, and support psychological wellbeing. The programme builds on established workplace training models and has been tailored specifically to the realities of surgical practice.
Data Collection and Equity at Conferences
Robust data collection remains a core priority in enabling BAUS to understand the diversity of its membership and leadership structures, and to monitor progress towards equitable representation.
Currently, demographic data has been collected for 58% of active BAUS members. There has been a sustained focus on ensuring that faculty invited to participate in BAUS meetings and conferences reflect a broad and inclusive range of professional backgrounds and experiences. At the 2025 BAUS Annual Scientific Meeting, 30% of Chairs and Speakers were female and 70% male, demonstrating continued progress toward representation.
During this period, the Vice Presidents for Education, Ian Pearce, Joe Philip and Mohammed Belal, have actively championed initiatives that promote equity, inclusion, and fairness in educational and leadership opportunities across BAUS activities.
Code of Conduct
As part of the BAUS Ten-Point Action Plan, the Group has led the development and implementation of a formal Code of Conduct for meeting Chairs and panellists. This framework establishes clear expectations for professional behaviour, respectful engagement, and inclusive discussion at all BAUS meetings. The Code of Conduct is now embedded across BAUS events and represents an important step in reinforcing a culture of professionalism, psychological safety, and mutual respect.
Leadership Shadowing Scheme
A pilot Leadership Shadowing Scheme was introduced to provide members with structured exposure to BAUS leadership and governance processes. The programme aims to broaden understanding of Section Executive activities and to support the development of future leaders within the specialty.
The pilot has been well received, with early evidence of impact, including one participant subsequently being elected to a Section Executive role. The scheme will continue to evolve as part of BAUS’s wider leadership development strategy.
Position Statement on Gender Identity and Tackling Discrimination
BAUS Trustees formally endorsed the British Medical Association (BMA) position statement on gender identity and tackling discrimination, reaffirming our commitment to fairness, dignity, and respect for all members of the profession. This endorsement aligns with BAUS’s broader values of professionalism, inclusivity, and equitable treatment within the workplace.
Experience Exchange Programme
The Experience Exchange Programme has been developed as a structured mentoring and learning initiative designed to strengthen understanding across different professional backgrounds, career stages, and personal experiences.
Under this programme, members of the BAUS Council or senior leadership team are paired with colleagues at earlier stages of their careers whose backgrounds, locations, or experiences may differ from their own.
The initiative aims to:
- Share leadership insights and career development experiences
- Promote inclusive leadership pathways
- Encourage broader participation in BAUS governance and leadership roles.
Recognising the varied challenges faced by healthcare professionals across different regions and healthcare systems, geographic diversity has also been incorporated into the programme design. The programme is scheduled to launch in Summer 2026.
Future Activities and Strategic Direction
In July 2021, BAUS published its Ten-Point Action Plan to strengthen participation and inclusion across the Association. The long-term objective remains to embed these principles across all BAUS activities, ensuring that the organisation attracts, supports, and retains talent from the widest possible range of clinicians and healthcare professionals.
As part of this ongoing work, the WP&WB Group will undertake a Parity and Opportunity Survey in Spring 2026. The findings will help identify areas where additional support may be required and will inform future workforce, wellbeing, and leadership initiatives.
In addition, the Journal of Clinical Urology (JCU) has commissioned a special issue focusing on widening participation and wellbeing initiatives, scheduled for publication in Autumn 2026, with the call for submissions to be announced in the April President’s Newsletter.
If you would like to get involved, or you have any feedback about Widening Participation, email us using the link below
Contact us by email
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