According to research, white nurses are twice as likely as black and Asian colleagues to be promoted to the NHS, with ethnic minority staff being overlooked due to structural racism.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said its study suggests racism is “endemic” in health and care. A survey of nearly 10,000 nursing staff found that those who are white or of mixed ethnicity are more likely than black and Asian colleagues to have received at least one promotion since the beginning of their career.
The difference is most marked among those between the ages of 35 and 44, according to the RCN, which published the report at its annual convention in Glasgow. While 65.9% of white respondents and 64% of mixed ethnic respondents in this age group said they had been promoted, this was reduced to only 38.3% of Asian and 35 respondents. 2% of blacks.
The college called on the government to take steps to address racism, including a legal requirement to eliminate disparities in recruitment, retention and career advancement, or greater responsibility for employers to protect minority ethnic groups.
The RCN said structural racism is having a “devastating” impact on ethnic minority staff, highlighting the results of the survey that black respondents working in hospitals and community care are more likely to report abuse. physical than respondents of other ethnicities.
Bruno Daniel, RCN’s Diversity and Equality Coordinator, said: “The examples of racism experienced by nursing staff in the workplace are profoundly shocking. The pandemic has highlighted structural racism in health and care services, and we must seize this opportunity to end this vile behavior once and for all.
“The UK government and delegations must properly recognize and address this issue and the devastating impact it has on staff and patients of ethnic and black minorities.”
Speaking at the conference on sending high-risk areas during the pandemic, agency nurse Roseline Sanni-Ajose said: “Covid-19 was a terrible situation for ethnic and black minority nurses. Due to the lack of PPE, we were not given adequate masks and were told to reuse protective clothing and wear a dressing gown all day, even if we had been exposed to patients with Covid- 19 “.
Saffron Cordery, the interim executive director of NHS providers, said the findings represented new evidence of “the unacceptable presence of structural racism within our healthcare and healthcare system”.
“As the largest employer of black, Asian and ethnic minority people in the country, the NHS must recognize and confront the structural racism and discrimination that still exists in its ranks,” he added.
“There is also clear evidence that ethnic minority patients have worse health care experiences than their white counterparts. This needs to be addressed as we take care of waiting lists by focusing on correcting inequalities in access to health care linked to ethnicity or deprivation. “
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Earlier this year, The Guardian revealed that a thorough review commissioned by the NHS Race and Health Observatory had found that “broad” and “extensive” inequality in all aspects of the health care it reviewed was detrimental. the health of millions of patients.
Racism, racial discrimination, barriers to accessing health care, and the unfortunate collection of data on ethnicity had “negatively affected” the health of black, Asian, and ethnic minority people for years, according to the study. which revealed the true scale of health inequalities faced by ethnic minorities. for the first time.
“It is only by acknowledging these facts and maintaining an honest conversation about racism, its structural roots and its impact, that change can be achieved,” Cordery said. “All NHS and government leaders have a duty to work actively to eliminate race-based inequality. NHS advice and leaders must demonstrate expected and necessary behaviors, collectively and individually. to dispel prejudice. “
An NHS England spokesman said: “Having a workforce that better reflects the people we care for is good for our staff and good for our patients, so while it’s important to have more BAME nurses in higher roles than ever before, the NHS recognizes that more needs to be done. ”