NHS Employers responds to RCN data showing surge in racism complaints from ethnic minority staff

Responding to new data published by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) which shows that its advice line has received a surge in complaints about racism at work from ethnic minority nursing staff across the UK, Caroline Waterfield, director of development and employment at NHS Employers, part of the NHS Confederation, said:

“The examples provided in these findings from the RCN are utterly disgraceful. No one should come to work and experience racism – whether that be from patients, their relatives or, certainly, fellow colleagues.

“While we know that there has been a lot of work undertaken by employers to remove racism from the workplace, these findings show again that we are far from the place we need to be.

“There is much more that leaders at all levels of the NHS – including national organisations – must do to proactively address racism at work and ensure staff can work in an inclusive and safe environment.”