‘Ethnic minority doctors held back by NHS racism’

DOCTORS from ethnic minorities are being overlooked for senior posts due to an entrenched racial bias in the NHS, says the head of a doctors’ union.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chairman of the British Medical Association, believes the NHS is ‘subconsciously racist’ and that there is deep-seated ‘inequality’ within the system.

Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) staff account for a third of the NHS workforce but less than 6 per cent in some senior positions.

A new survey of almost 8,000 doctors found that only half of BAME doctors feel respected or ‘culturally included’ in their workplace.

Many spoke of experiencing unconscious racism in everything from job progression to training and interaction with their patients.

Ethnic minority doctors, said Dr Nagpaul, ‘play a vital role, day in day out, delivering care to patients across the country.

‘Yet despite their commitment they’re more likely to face referral to the General Medical Council, are more likely to have their cases investigated and are more likely to face harsh sanctions following an investigation.

‘BAME staff in the NHS workforce as a whole are more likely to experience bullying, harassment or abuse from other staff.

‘Differential achievement in exams and poorer career progression are another worrying factor, and with independent research showing that this is not related to any lack of ability. In the 21st century, that is not acceptable.’

The report also found that more staff think patient safety is being compromised by pressures on the system.

Dr Nagpaul, the first BAME doctor to lead the BMA, told the Daily Telegraph that patients were being deprived of the most skilled clinicians thanks to this entrenched bias.

He said he was rejected from GP training nine times in the 1980s and believes this was because of his Indian name. ‘There is probably a subconscious bias that needs to be addressed,’ he added.

‘Sadly there is little doubt there is still a lack of equality in terms of staff in the NHS.’

His comments come after figures showing that senior white doctors earn an average 4.9 per cent more than their BAME equivalents. Professor John Appleby of the Nuffield Trust think tank, which carried out the pay study, told the British Medical Journal that this added up to £4,000 extra per year.

NHS England said the proportion of ‘very senior’ managers of BAME origins had gone up by 18 per cent from 2016 to 17.

And 25 NHS trusts had at least three BAME people on their boards. A spokesman added: ‘Ensuring our workforce is more representative of the people we care for is good for both staff and patients.’

‘There is still a lack of equality’