Six-figure deal ends doctors' race case

Five doctors who claimed the British Medical Association racially discriminated against them settled their case today for a joint six-figure sum.

The doctors settled with the BMA hours before the case was due to be heard at an employment tribunal. They accused their professional association of failing to offer them legal assistance in cases of racial discrimination at work.

The five are Dr Fahtima Farook from Cardiff; Dr Sheedhar Vasdo Vaidya from the East Midlands; Dr Kumar Ghosh from Manchester; Vijay Jadhav from Kingstonupon-Thames; and Vanlila Bera from Birmingham.

Dr Vaidya, 47, the only claimant at the tribunal in Manchester today, said he was pleased his "extremely traumatic ordeal" had ended.

A doctor for 22 years, he said he had six ongoing discrimination claims against United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust. He alleges he lost his job as a result of the claims. "I regret it had to come this far. It's almost destroyed my life," he said.

Barrister Ghazan Mahmood, who represented four of the doctors, said the payout was a "a good six-figure sum". He said the BMA had a "closed mind" over backing claims of racial discrimination. Nicholas Randall, for the BMA, told the tribunal: "We are delighted we have been able to reach an amicable resolution to these complex cases."

In March, the BMA was ordered to pay £1 million to urologist Rajendra Chaudhary after it refused to represent him in a case against the NHS.