969 The Kara: Working Together Towards Active Inclusion Within Surgery
A Sidki, S Panesar, S Sayeed- Surgery
Abstract
Aim
During surgical scrubbing, Sikhs in healthcare are often expected to remove their kara, a religious metal bangle. This seems inconsistent with policies permitting rings. As some Sikhs feel they cannot do this, they are refused entry to theatres. The aim of this quality improvement project is to explore if and how this exclusion might affect Sikhs and propose an inclusive solution accordingly.
Method
Working with MedRACE (a student-staff EDI group), we reviewed local and national infection and surgical scrubbing policies. We also distributed a survey nationally to explore Sikh medical students’ experiences in theatres, sharing our findings with local Trust leadership.
Results
We found variations in the policies reviewed, some permitting the kara, and others proposing removal or impossible solutions (‘secured…above the elbow’). Of 11 survey respondents, 9 had been told to remove their kara before entering theatres; 7 felt that wearing a kara limited their opportunities. Students reported that some Trusts (or staff) allowed them to wear a kara, whilst others did not. On presenting these findings to our local Trust, they updated the policy to permit the kara, and communicated this update to staff.
Conclusions
The national variation on wearing a kara in theatres is excluding some Sikhs from theatres. This may impact attainment and deter Sikhs from pursuing surgical careers. It is also at odds with the Royal College of Surgeon’s vision of creating a more inclusive surgical environment. We are thus planning further work to ensure greater consistency on this matter across the UK.