Racism

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  • The National Health Service is racist with black and Asian doctors and nurses facing constant discrimination. Many are left languishing in their careers while white colleagues are rapidly promoted. Observer Sunday June 17, 2001
  • Racial harassment, bullying and discrimination are daily facts of life for black and Asian doctors, according to a report published today by the King's Fund, an independent health thinktank. Guardian Tuesday June 19, 2001
  • Racism 'rife' in NHS merit awards to consultants.  John Carvel, social affairs editor Thursday November 7, 2002 The Guardian
  • The NHS suffers from a chronic racial bias and consistently discriminates against black patients and staff, Trevor Phillips, the chairman of the commission for racial equality, said yesterday. John Carvel Wednesday April 30, 2003 The Guardian
  • Rastafarian suffering from schizophrenia died at clinic after being held face down on the floor by at least four nurses. John Carvel, social affairs editor Friday February 6, 2004 The Guardian
  • 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, an official inquiry will declare next week. John Carvel, social affairs editor Friday February 6, 2004 The Guardian
  • The inquiry team delivered a withering analysis of institutional racism in the NHS.  John Carvel Friday February 6, 2004 The Guardian
  • Racism and the NHS.  Letters Saturday February 7, 2004 The Guardian
  • The government was preparing last night to reject or water down three recommendations from the official inquiry into the death of David "Rocky" Bennett, exposing institutional racism in NHS treatment of mental health patients.  John Carvel, social affairs editor Saturday February 7, 2004 The Guardian
  • Eradicate racism. Leader Saturday February 7, 2004 The Guardian
  • Black nurses paid less than white colleagues.  Jo Revill, health editor Sunday February 8, 2004 The Observer
  • Thousands of nurses are being driven out of the profession by an archaic system of compulsory shift working that plays havoc with their personal lives and family responsibilities, the Royal College of Nursing warned last night. John Carvel, social affairs editor Monday February 9, 2004 The Guardian
  • Why racism is losing the NHS staff.  Letters Monday February 9, 2004 The Guardian
  • The sister of psychiatric patient David "Rocky" Bennett, who died after being restrained at a secure unit, today called for action against those who had contributed to his death.  Debbie Andalo and agencies Thursday February 12, 2004
  • As the government is urged to take steps to wipe out institutional racism in mental health services, following the death of David 'Rocky' Bennett, Aneez Esmail says it has to admit it exists first. Thursday February 12, 2004
  • The inquiry into the death of psychiatric patient David 'Rocky' Bennett today published its findings. Key figures give their responses. Thursday February 12, 2004
  • Sympathy but no promises from Reid. Recommendations from inquiry into mental care death rejected. John Carvel, social affairs editor Friday February 13, 2004 The Guardian
  • John Reid's response yesterday to the inquiry into Rocky Bennett's death was influenced by a working relationship he has struck with Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality. Unannounced, they are in the process of writing a pamphlet on tackling racism in the health service.  John Carvel, social affairs editor Friday February 13, 2004 The Guardian
  • NHS racism: long history, little change. John Carvel Friday February 13, 2004 The Guardian
  • Government health inspectors raised fresh concern last night about racial discrimination in the NHS after a survey of 370,000 patients showed above-average dissatisfaction among people from the Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities. John Carvel Friday February 27, 2004 The Guardian
  • As members of the Medical Practitioners Union, the trade union for doctors and a section of Amicus, we are increasingly horrified at the blatant increase in institutional racism within the NHS. In the aftermath of the report into the death of David Bennett, John Reid denies that there is a "festering abscess" of racism within the NHS. We, as doctors, see the effects of this abscess every day and are increasingly asked to facilitate its growth. Letters Thursday March 18, 2004 The Guardian
  • The health secretary, John Reid, today praised the cultural diversity of NHS staff and reiterated that racism will not be tolerated in the health service.  Debbie Andalo Monday April 26, 2004
  • A black nurse suffered racial discrimination when she was banned from taking care of a sick white baby, an employment tribunal ruled yesterday. Rosie Purves, 58, brought the case against Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust for race discrimination and failing to prevent the abuse after managers moved the six-month-old girl to a different ward. Mrs Purves was awarded £20,000 in compensation. Tuesday May 18, 2004 The Guardian
  • The government will this week order the NHS to introduce comprehensive ethnic monitoring of all mental health patients in England after evidence of persistent racial discrimination against black and minority ethnic groups. Rosie Winterton, the health minister, will publish a long-delayed response to an official inquiry into the death of David "Rocky" Bennett, a 38-year-old Jamaican-born Rastafarian who died in a psychiatric ward in Norwich in 1998. The inquiry, under Sir John Blofeld, a retired high court judge, found in February last year that Mr Bennett was killed by being held face down on the floor for 28 minutes by at least four mental health nurses. John Carvel, social affairs editor Monday January 10, 2005 The Guardian
  • The government today refused to accept that the NHS is "institutionally racist" despite admitting that people from ethnic minorities have long suffered discrimination and unfair treatment in mental health services. Health minister Rosie Winterton denied the charge of institutional racism as she launched a five-year strategy to reduce the discrimination and unfair treatment suffered by people from ethnic minorities with mental health problems. David Batty Tuesday January 11, 2005
  • Race reform of NHS mental health services: reaction in quotes. A new blueprint for prevention of racism against people from ethnic minorities by NHS mental health services was welcomed by campaigners although they they are disappointed the government did not go further. Tuesday January 11, 2005
  • Ministers committed the government yesterday to a five-year plan to halt racial discrimination in NHS mental health services in England, which was exposed last year by an inquiry into the death of David "Rocky" Bennett. Rosie Winterton, the health minister, said people from black and minority ethnic communities were less likely to come forward voluntarily for mental health treatment, more likely to stay longer as in-patients in psychiatric wards, and more likely to be prescribed medication or electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) instead of psychological treatment. Young black men were six times more likely than their white contemporaries to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act for compulsory treatment, although international studies showed they were not genetically more susceptible to serious mental illness. John Carvel, social affairs editor Wednesday January 12, 2005 The Guardian
  • The first census of mental health units to establish the extent of discrimination against black and minority ethnic patients will be carried out throughout the NHS and private hospitals in England and Wales tomorrow. Health inspectors will look into the ethnic and religious characteristics of all in-patients and their experience of seclusion or injury while on hospital premises. John Carvel, social affairs editor Wednesday March 30, 2005 The Guardian
  • A community approach addressing racial and cultural issues in mental health services is getting results. Adam James reports. Wednesday June 22, 2005 The Guardian
  • It was Trevor Phillips, chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, who likened the NHS to a snow-capped mountain where the boss is almost always white. The lack of senior executives from ethnic minorities - estimated at just 1% of chief executives and 7% of executive directors - is especially stark when one considers that nearly 35% of doctors, 16% of nurses and 11% of non-medical staff are from ethnic minorities. Aneez Esmail Wednesday November 30, 2005 The Guardian
  • The NHS is guilty of widespread failure to comply with race relations law, the health inspectorate warned in a report today. The Healthcare Commission said only seven of the 570 NHS trusts across England published enough information on their official websites to show they are obeying the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. John Carvel, social affairs editor Friday August 18, 2006 Guardian Unlimited
  • Race watchdog in warning to Department of Health. The Department of Health is being threatened with legal action by the race relations watchdog which has accused it of repeatedly failing to consider the needs of ethnic minority patients when making policies. In the first action of its kind against an entire government department, the Commission for Racial Equality has warned the DoH that it is "minded" to launch a formal investigation into its policy-making. The commission accuses the department of failing to carrying out race equality impact assessments (REIAs) on its own policies. Summary by Keep our NHS Public of Guardian 23 August 2006
  • 'Apartheid' warning over psychiatric care. Warnings of 'a kind of apartheid' in the mental health system have been made by Lord Patel of Bradford, chairman of the Mental Health Act Commission. He said it could be one reason why some black groups were 18 times more likely to be in psychiatric care. Lord Patel said it had to be established why there was an over-representation of black people in psychiatric care. Experts estimate that black people are three to 10 times more likely to be diagnosed as schizophrenic and less likely to be diagnosed with depression. They are also more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act and to be given medication, rather than 'talking' therapies. Sunday April 1, 2007 The Observer
  • Getting rights right. Primary care trusts need to develop a strategy to tackle equality and human rights, writes Blair McPherson. Friday July 20, 2007 SocietyGuardian.co.uk

     

     

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Sheila Porter-Williams
Campaign for Health Service Democracy
Green Haven, Halfway Lane
Dunchurch
Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 6RD
sheilaCHSD@porter-williams.freeserve.co.uk