Racism in the NHS is rife, is well known to many of us. We all know that being an Ethnic Minority doctor or a female doctor is bound to get unfavourable treatment in the NHS.
The NHS is famous for its “old boy” network where it pays to know someone higher up. In the past and at present, jobs go to the one with connections, with the right type of skin and with the right name! Read that as if your one of your parents is a consultant in the NHS, you will get a job. If you are a White and if you have a British sounding name, you will get a job.
In fact, one of the doctors I know changed his name to a Christian sounding name and Lo Voila he suddenly gets short-listed for the same Registrar posts, which he was not in the past as he had a foreign sounding name.
In fact a Talk by Dr Aneez Esmail to Greater Manchester SHA 2000, titled Racism in the NHS will open the eyes of those sceptics who believe that racism does not exist in the NHS.
The Guardian published a leaked report Titled "Abscess of Racism in the NHS exposed" which discusses the issue further.
"The NHS is riddled with institutional racism and persistently fails to give patients from the black and minority ethnic communities the services they need and deserve."
Another Doctor's view on Racism can be read on the Student BMJ "Trying to overcome Racsim in the NHS". He had to give up General Surgery and take up Accident and Emergency.
Racism is still rife in the NHS. In fact the Clinical Director of my Unit (a white ) doctor, says that openly and tells that you wont be shortlisted as you are not white.
The BBC's take on this can be read here.
In fact the problem is so rife that The Chief Medical officer for England, Sir Liam Donaldson declared last week that ethnic minority doctors in the NHS faced systematic racism, prejudice and harrassment, saying many doctors’ careers have been impeded due to this.
In his annual report on the State of Nation's health, he draws attention to Achieving racial equality in medicine. And this is as recent as the 14th July 2008.
Personnel Today reports in this article that HR teams are allowing a minority of racist line managers to make working life tough for migrant medics.
The GMC admits to the fact that doctors trained overseas were twice as likely to face formal disciplinary hearings once a complaint had been made as those who graduated in the UK.
A General Medical Council (GMC) report showed that less than 16% of complaints against UK-trained doctors resulted in a fitness-to-practice hearing. More than 31% of cases against those trained elsewhere in the EU, and almost 34% of those trained outside the EU, led to a hearing.
That the NHS is racist is a foregone conclusion and with this in mind British Association of Physician's of Indian Origin (BAPIO) was formed.
BAPIO has had a mojor success when it won a Landmark Victory at the House of Lords. The Department of Health guidelines regarding HSMP doctors were illegal.
Is there any light at the end of the tunnel? At present, things look as bleak as ever. Things might improve in the future. Winds of change are gathering momentum and BAPIO is playing its part in helping Asian doctors, but I for one wouldn't hold my breath!
Friday, 1 August 2008
Racism in The NHS!
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2 comments:
http://www.palvgmc.blogspot.com
This is real example of organized mobbing which so many pressure groups are campaigning and trying to make the regulatory bodies as well as their 'friends' NHS/DH understand that their primary duties as written in their manifesto is to protect patients. Unfortunately anyone who speaks for patients and in fact follows GMC guidelines, is subjected to reprisals and his/her reputations is tattered making his/her unable to work again in the NHS. Managers refer these whistleblowers to GMC and the investigation takes ages and the regulatory bodies intentionally delay and takes dictations from the NHS Managers as they all work for them.
You can see interesting information in the following link. I am not sure if GMC/NMC etc. will gain insight and think rationally. Their reputations is increasingly damaged and here in the UK and worldwide and many doctors are opting for Australia and the US as they don’t trust them.
http://www.nhsreformgroup.com/Will-Mr.-Lansley-Truely-Help-NHS-Whistleblowers?/39.htm
Dr Pal is 100% correct that two different set of criteria are used to investigate complaints and harsh action is taken against doctors from ethnic minorities. Liam Donaldson, the former CMO said that ethnic minority doctors face systemic prejudice, racism and harassment (Donaldson.L; Chief medical officer calls for action against racism in NHS, BMJ, 19 July 2008). These doctors are 12 times more likely to face allegations of indecent behaviour and subjected to GMC Fitness to Practise Hearing. GMC/NHS has assassinated livelihood of a number of bright doctors and its so sad that there is no accountability for them (Esmail.A. Asian doctors in the NHS: service and betrayal, British Journal of General Practise, October 2007). In a latest article published in the BMJ,it has emerged that black and ethnic minority are more likely to face Stream I (more serious) investigation (Sandhu B: Alarm over ethnic profile of disciplinary statistics. BMJ 24 May 2011). Unless regulatory bodies change their attitudes and be fair in their proceedings, patients’ care will never improve.
Its so disgusting that the GMC is so racist against minority doctors. The most encouraging factor is that people have trust in the court.
The following quote is alarming for the GMC
http://www.sundaymercury.net/news/tm_objectid=16203725&method=full&siteid=50002-name_page.html
Judge Charles Harris raged: “It is like a totalitarian regime: anybody who criticises it is said to be mentally ill – what used to happen in Russia.”
GMC guidelines are clear on raising concerns but doctors are sceptical as time and again they face retributal and are left all alone at the mercy of the NHS Managers who then refer them to police, GMC and subjected them to ostracism, horrifying investigating process, dismissal etc. I suggest the GMC guidelines lack clarity on real support after raising concerns as the PIDA don’t support adequatley because of a number of loop holes and health professionals can’t affort hefty legal costs as the Trade Unions hardly support a PIDA claim. Doctors opt to silence fearing further reprisals by the NHS Managers as there is no financial, emotional or career support after raising concerns. GMC wants doctors to speak up which is in fact a professional suicide as they leave these doctors at the disposal of NHS Managers and there is no respite as the GMC says its not their remit to interfere in employment affairs.
GMC screening process should be robust and if a whistleblower provides evidence of raising concerns prior to complaints, he/she should not be referred to the FTP as it will send a wrong message to other doctors and will discourage them to speak up for their patients.
Despite of the multitude of good and fair colleagues, the trend in the NHS ls to treat employees from minority ethnic groups with little objectivity and as being ‘the problem’. This is manifested by the ease by which they are referred to conflict resolution meetings, disciplinary hearings and to the GMC. Also we learn how they are unsupported, are not given a proper feedback and how they become subject to ganging up practices by colleagues and managers. They are singled out for behavioural assessment, are marginalised, undervalued and of their efforts and achievements being credited to others and of their shortcomings highlighted and exaggerated. They are slowly acknowledged and swiftly and harshly punished.
Read the case of Dr Eva Michalak. You will be shocked.
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