NHS radiographers report rise in overt racist abuse by patients

Survey reveals medics were called ‘monkeys’ and ‘dirty foreigners’, and patients refused to be seen by black or Asian staff

NHS radiographers are experiencing racist abuse by patients, who have called them “monkeys” and refused to be seen by black and Asian staff, according to a report.

A survey of 381 members of the Society of Radiographers revealed a “noticeable” rise in instances of overt racism experienced and witnessed by radiographers across the health service over the past 18 months.

Examples included staff being called “dirty foreigners”, patients complaining about the skin colour of those attending to them, and patients making comments in front of staff about “people coming over here and taking our jobs”.

One patient made jokes about a radiographer’s headscarf and complained they couldn’t understand her; she speaks with a mild Yorkshire accent. Another patient waiting to be X-rayed refused to accept a black radiographer and said: “Black people frighten me.”

The chief executive of the NHS Race and Health Observatory, Prof Habib Naqvi, said such cases were a “sobering reminder of the racism, prejudice and hatred that persist in our society, and of the profound impact they have on healthcare staff and the communities they serve”.

“They create real fear, trauma and anxiety among our diverse workforce, who continue to provide diligent, compassionate care to patients at some of the most vulnerable moments in their lives,” he said.

“The NHS could not function without the skill, dedication and compassion of healthcare workers from across the world. We strongly condemn these reported racist incidents, and there must be a clear, consistently enforced zero-tolerance approach across the NHS, including in cases where patients display racist or otherwise unacceptable conduct.”

Paul Awah, 39, a radiographer based in Bedfordshire who moved to the UK from Nigeria five years ago, has frequently experienced patients claiming they are unable to understand what he’s saying even though English is his first language.

“Sometimes no matter how clear you’re speaking to a particular patient, a white patient, independent of whether the patient is sick or not, they just pretend not to understand,” he said.

“They seem to understand people speaking with an Irish or a Scottish accent, but they claim to not understand me even though I am speaking clearly. Some patients also assume that we are not qualified.”

For Awah, the current political climate and rhetoric about immigration from the far right has a part to play in the increase in racism experienced by NHS staff. “What used to be something people wouldn’t say, now the rhetoric has changed,” he said.

“Immigrants are blamed for the cost of living, energy bills, the worsening situation in the country, and people feel it’s OK to say it.”

Previous surveys have revealed the extent of racism directed at staff throughout the NHS. The Royal College of Nursing revealed in October that the number of racist incidents experienced by its members had risen 55% over a three-year period, while the latest NHS staff survey found that one in five black and minority-ethnic staff had reported abuse, bullying or harassment from patients or the public, compared with just one in 20 white staff.

The chief human resources and organisational development officer at NHS England, Thomas Simonssaid: “Racist abuse towards NHS staff is completely unacceptable and has no place in our health service.

“Our new national staff standards are clear that NHS organisations must take meaningful action to prevent and respond to racism, support affected staff and ensure there are clear consequences for patients who racially abuse or discriminate against NHS staff – including the option to refuse care in non-emergency situations.”