One of the British Medical Association's former leaders told a medical student she was "the hottest lesbian" he had ever seen, and groped another, a debate on sexual harassment has heard.

The union has launched an investigation into sexism following claims by female medics that they have been unfairly treated.

Female doctors had accused senior members of the union of sending unsolicited naked pictures and joking about women’s bra sizes, amid a culture of “institutional sexism”.

The revelations by GP Online magazine prompted the union to open an investigation.

The union’s annual conference heard reports that young medical students had been repeatedly harassed and propositioned at previous conferences.

Medics passed a motion which said the BMA’s current complaints procedures were not fit for purpose.

But speaking during a debate on the matter, junior doctor Dr Jennifer Barclay raised concerns that victims had been left with even less recourse in the past.

Dr Barclay described how a second-year medical student was approached by a man who was then a senior member of the union’s council, at the annual conference, making comments about how attractive she was.

“He asked if she had a boyfriend, and she clarified that she had a girlfriend.