Black nurses and midwives deserting NHS in droves

SOCIETY

The number of black nurses and midwives joining the NHS is falling dramatically, according to government figures. Despite countless equal opportunities programmes, the proportion of nursing, midwifery and health visitor staff who are black is 8.7 per cent among over-55s but only 0.8 per cent among under-25s.

Roger Kline, national secretary of the Manufacturing Science and Finance union (MSF), said anecdotal evidence suggested older staff were warning their children against working for the service after suffering harassment and discrimination in their own careers.

The data confirmed the everyday experience of black employees, he added, and showed there had been a degree of complacency in tackling racism. "There have been dozens of major reports, research papers, policy initiatives and ministerial statements in recent years all deploring the scale of racism in the NHS. Yet most of this is now revealed as being as useful as the band playing their hearts out on the decks of the Titanic."

The figures come from the Department of Health's annual non-medical workforce census.