Medical chiefs have called for NHS Scotland to start publishing details of racism against their staff to tackle discrimination against doctors.

BMA Scotland said there is a "significant problem" with racist abuse and discrimination against medics, but the lack of any data on the issue in Scotland means it isn't fully understood.

Anecdotally, black and ethnic minority (BME) medics say they face racial bias and overt abuse in their jobs.

One A&E doctor told the Herald on Sunday he has been told numerous times to go back to his own country, described by patients as "a p**i" and even colleagues have asked him why he's working in Scotland.

Dr Lewis Morrison, chair of BMA Scotland, said NHS Scotland must start recording data on the issue in the way NHS England does, to improve equality for BME medics.

He said: "Across the UK we know that black and minority ethnic doctors are still more likely to be bullied or harassed, experience differential attainment in their careers and are more likely to be referred to the GMC.

"It is completely unacceptable, but nobody should be in any doubt that these are problems also experienced by our BME colleagues in Scotland.

"A starting point to tackling this problem in Scotland must be to bring it into the open and that requires NHS Scotland to start gathering and publishing the same level of data on racial equality that NHS England does."

Last year, a report found that BME doctors were more likely to be hauled in front of disciplinary tribunals than their white colleagues, and a report before the Scottish Parliament in 2015 stated that "the NHS in Scotland appeared to have a significant problem with institutional discrimination in the employment of BME people."

The report by monitoring group Equality Here, Now was revisited in 2017, with their conclusions stating: "The prospects for race equality in the NHS had not improved.

"Examination of employment data published by Scotland’s 22 NHS Boards suggests little has changed and that if anything the roots of institutional racism remain deep and undisturbed across much of the NHS.

"What has emerged...is growing evidence that the NHS in Scotland is reluctant to willingly and comprehensively embrace all that the specific equality duties required as this would more than likely unearth practices and cultures which are racist and which would require institutional change."

A health conference held by trade union Unison in England last year heard that Brexit had fuelled much of the racist abuse directed towards medics down south, with one black union member describing the issue as "a disease in the system".

A Glasgow GP earlier this year told a BMA Scotland event that she had also faced discrimination at her surgery.

Dr Punam Krishan said a patient had told the surgery receptionist they didn't want "an Asian doctor" only to be informed Krishan was Scottish.

Unlike NHS boards in Scotland, NHS England decided in 2014 to start monitoring the treatment and experiences of BME employees and now publishes an annual Workforce Race Equality Standard report.

A similar report, experts say, is what is needed in Scotland to ensure a more detailed understanding of how BME doctors are treated.

Dr Vipin Zamvar, a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon based in Edinburgh and member of the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO) Scotland has worked for the NHS for more than 30 years.

He said BAPIO Scotland members say they have experienced differing forms of racism in their careers, but agreed more should be done to tackle the issue.

Dr Zamvar said: "Racism in any form cannot be accepted. Subtle racism exists – it is important for NHS Scotland to be aware that there might be subconscious racism in its institutions, and to take proactive steps to monitor and record any behaviours that can be perceived as such

"There should be more research in differential attainment of BME doctors. Data should be collected on complaints, outcomes of complaints, disciplinary actions etc and if there is any suggestion of BME doctors being disproportionately represented in these processes, this should be a spur for more research to try and explain these findings.

"A 21st-century NHS Scotland is overall a fantastic place to work and many BME doctors have thrived professionally in the NHS. However, there should be no room for complacency.

"NHS Scotland must proactively monitor the experiences of its staff, and should be ensuring that no doctor should ever feel that he or she was treated differently on account of anything else except merit."

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Racism of any form is completely unacceptable and we expect any complaint of racism in the NHS to be thoroughly investigated and addressed. It is our expectation that NHS boards should properly record incidents.

“NHS Scotland should be a service that is a modern, inclusive, and diverse employer and our Race Equality Action Plan sets out key actions we are taking to address race inequalities in public life in Scotland, including across the NHS.”