Racism a ‘very serious problem’ at NHS agency

The troubled agency that supplies blood to the NHS has a ’very serious problem’ with racism, a staff survey has revealed.

Six hundred staff at NHS Blood and Transplant were surveyed and the results have been summarised in an internal memo, seen by HSJ. 

It said 55% of respondents felt the problem of racism at NHSBT is “extremely or very serious”, while half had little confidence in the organisation’s recent efforts to tackle racial inequality.

When contacted for comment, a NHSBT spokeswoman said the results were “difficult to read” and added that “we are deeply sorry to those who have experienced negative behaviour”.

The issues over race and leadership come at perhaps the most operationally challenging period in NHSBT’s history.  It is struggling to find enough staff for its donation clinics, which meant it issued its first-ever “amber alert” over blood supplies recently. 

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Source: HSJ, 21 October 2022