Home / Health / NHS Staff Face Racist Abuse Amid Far-Right Surge
NHS Staff Face Racist Abuse Amid Far-Right Surge
4 Aug
Summary
- Racism against NHS staff has risen significantly in the last 18 months.
- Nearly 10% of NHS staff experienced discrimination from patients recently.
- NHS England vows action against patients who racially abuse staff.
A concerning rise in racist abuse directed at NHS staff by patients has been reported, with healthcare professionals attributing the trend to the growing influence of the far-right. Radiographers and other staff shared experiences of patients refusing treatment or exhibiting hostility based on their ethnicity.
Official figures from March reveal that 9.26% of NHS staff faced discrimination at work in the last year, marking a five-year high. This has prompted calls from the Society of Radiographers, supported by the Royal College of Nursing, for improved national recording and monitoring of racist incidents.
NHS England has condemned the abuse, stating it has no place in the health service. New national staff standards mandate that NHS organizations take robust action to prevent and respond to racism, support affected staff, and implement consequences for patients, such as refusing non-emergency care.
