The NHS has been accused of racism after figures showed applicants from ethnic minorities find it harder to get a job, are more likely to be bullied if they do and have more grievances taken out against them.
Figures from the South East Coast NHS, one of ten regions in England, found that although black and minority ethnic groups made up almost a third of applicants for jobs they only represented 16 per cent of appointees.
Rob Berkeley, deputy director of the Runnymede Trust, a racial equality think tank, told the Health Service Journal: “The patterns are broad enough to suggest it’s about institutional racism. The NHS has been slower to address it.”
The data show three per cent of the 193 executive directors were black and ethnic minority in origin along with only 2.5 per cent of non-executive directors.
Candy Morris, chief executive of NHS South East Coast, said: “We recognise that we need to do more to address the needs of black and minority ethnic patients and members of the public as well as provide greater leadership opportunities for black and minority ethnic staff members.”
A spokesman for the Department of Health said The Race Equality Service Review had shown there were still areas of concern.
The Telegraph