Discrimination in NHS: extent of staff bullying revealed
Posted 19 March 2024 - 14:24
As WRES figures show one in three female nursing staff of black and minority ethnic background experience bullying, RCN says NHS must do more to tackle racism
Female staff from black and minority ethnic backgrounds experience discrimination in the NHS more than any other staff group, an annual report has found – a trend that has been evident since at least 2015.
The latest NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) data analysis also shows that at three quarters (76%) of NHS trusts in England, white applicants are ‘significantly more likely’ than black and minority ethnic (BME) applicants to be appointed to a role from shortlisting.
Black and minority ethnic female nurses face bullying and harassment
The WRES report, published by NHS England on 18 March, reveals that almost one in three (30.7%) women of BME heritage working in nursing and midwifery had experienced bullying or harassment from other staff in 2022, the highest proportion in a staff group except medical and dental workers (32.6%).
There was some progress, with the number of people of BME background at very senior manager level in the health service increasing by almost two thirds (61.7%) since 2018, from 201 to 325 managers.
The report shows a 13% increase in the number of BME staff working in NHS trusts in England in the year to March 2023 – a rise of around 43,000 people.
Progress on discrimination ‘moving at glacial pace’, says union
The RCN branded the progress on racism ‘glacial’ and called on the NHS to do more.
‘Discrimination in the NHS is systemic, and it’s clear the health service still has a long way to go in overcoming the prejudices that patients and staff face,’ said general secretary Pat Cullen.
‘It’s promising to see some progress – including an increase in the number of black, asian and minority ethnic staff at senior manager level – but it is not nearly fast enough, and the NHS can ill afford to waste more time moving at this glacial pace.’
The report also reveals that internationally recruited nurses from BME and white backgrounds experienced ‘high levels of harassment, bullying or abuse from other staff’.
Figures from the Nursing and Midwifery Council show that almost half of the 52,148 new registrants last year were trained overseas (25,006).
‘NHS workforce more diverse than at any point in its history’
NHS England chief workforce officer Navina Evans acknowledged that more work needed to be done to tackle discrimination.
She added: ‘There are some positive improvements in this year’s WRES data, including a higher number of people in senior positions in the NHS from minority ethnic backgrounds. But we know there is more to do, and with the NHS workforce more diverse than at any point in its history, progress is particularly critical.’
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