Racism a problem in county's NHS, campaigners say

Nearly 75% of the 156 health workers surveyed reported a reluctance and a fear to discuss, challenge or report incidents of racism at work

Health bosses in Shropshire have been accused of suppressing a report on levels of racism among NHS services staff and doing nothing to address the problem.

The county's Integrated Care Board (ICB), which plans NHS services, has issued no public response to the study, despite it being drawn up 18 months ago.

Carried out by the University of Wolverhampton, the study surveyed 156 people, 56% of them non-white, with 79% of them stating racism among colleagues was a problem.

The ICB said it was holding a "long-standing, planned" meeting on Wednesday to talk about what had already been done as well as actions for the future.

The report, leaked to BBC Radio Shropshire, had been commissioned to look at racism in the NHS in the area.

The ICB told the BBC: "The report was funded by Health Education England (West Midlands) and was undertaken with interested parties. The ICB did not come into existence until July 2022."

One whistleblower, who is scared to speak out publicly for fear of losing her job, claimed there was a "culture of bullying and covering up".

'Indirect and more subtle'

"The NHS in Shropshire has a problem with racism, and the leadership within the NHS is ignoring it and allowing it to continue," she told the BBC.

The report found racism took the form of stereotyped assumptions and micro-aggressions, as well as non-inclusion in activities and language and communication issues.

A total of 73% of those surveyed reported a reluctance and a fear to discuss, challenge or report incidents of racism.

In addition, racism from patients and families was a problem, according 85% of non-white respondents.

The report found racism had become more "indirect and more subtle", but members of staff "largely still tend to do nothing about it."

"Both non-white and white members of staff in Shropshire, Wrekin and Telford experience more racism than the national average and average for the West Midlands," it added.

Health campaigner David Sandbach, said he had written to the ICB's chief executive officer Simon Whitehouse calling for an action plan to be published at the board meeting.

'Fairly awkward figures'

He said it was "shameful" the documents had been suppressed and it would "have an impact on the number of people that want to come and work here".

"People are worried about the fact the integrated care board has in fact suppressed a report on rural racism that actually showed some fairly awkward figures, in terms of the frequency of racism in the NHS in Shropshire," he added.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the ICB said the county's NHS and local authorities will attend a board development session.

She added it would be an opportunity to "consolidate" the actions that had already been implemented and to "develop a system-wide approach."

In a further statement, the ICB said it condemned any form of racism and that NHS leaders had a collective responsibility to tackle it.

The ICB also said that staff perceptions had improved since the report: "We had the highest number of participants to complete the NHS Staff Survey across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin in 2023, which is positive.

"At the same time the number of people who said they faced discrimination because of their ethnic background in 2023 decreased to 161, down from 170 in 2022."