Leaked NHS report warns GPs face ‘shocking levels’ of racism

GPs face “appalling and systemic” racism from patients and colleagues, a leaked NHS report has revealed.

The first Health Education England report for London of its kind says racism and discrimination are widespread within primary care across the capital, and GPs in other parts of the country have raised similar concerns.

Doctors speaking with The Independent have told stories of being called derogatory and racist names, of staff leaving due to the bigotry they’ve faced, and of patients asking to see a “white” or “English” GP.

Senior GPs have warned patients will ultimately suffer as a result, as experienced doctors leave practices to avoid such abuse.

Professor Simon Gregory, deputy medical director for Health Education England, said: “There is considerable evidence that the UK is systemically racist, and that the NHS is a systemically racist workplace.

“This report is shocking evidence of terrible, indeed appalling, levels of discrimination across protected characteristics and with much intersectionality, but especially shocking levels of racial discrimination.”

“The awful and painful narratives of so many colleagues over so many years cannot be ignored but thanks to London’s primary care educational leaders we now have firm evidence. Evidence that cannot be ignored.”

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Source: The Independent, 4 May 2022