UK Health Staff Confront Resurgence of 1970s-Style Racism
(MENAFN) Britain is witnessing a troubling resurgence of racism reminiscent of the 1970s and 1980s, with health care workers increasingly targeted by verbal and physical abuse, Health Secretary Wes Streeting warned on Wednesday.
Speaking in a joint interview with The Guardian alongside Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, Streeting said the frequency of such attacks has reached a level where it has become "socially acceptable to be racist."
The health secretary described feeling "shocked" after hearing NHS staff, particularly those in A&E (accident and emergency), recount rising incidents of harassment, aggression, and violence when patient care is delayed.
"The thing that has shocked me most of all is that the rising tide of racism and the way in which kind of 1970s, 1980s-style racism has apparently become permissible again in this country," Streeting said.
"I’m really shocked at the way this is now impacting on NHS staff," he added.
Streeting also criticized politicians who tolerate racial prejudice, saying: "I'm disgusted that a level of racism last seen when Britain was a very different country, 50 years ago, has made an ugly comeback."
He continued, noting he is "frankly shocked" by members of parliament who have leaned into such behavior.
His comments follow a report last week from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), which revealed a sharp rise in racist incidents faced by nurses in recent years.
Both Mackey and Streeting acknowledged that, even as the NHS prepares for winter pressures, some hospitals may "struggle" to maintain normal services during the upcoming cold spell, when A&E departments are expected to face record demand.
Mackey highlighted the ongoing issue of corridor care, recently underscored by Age UK, calling it "one of the things that keeps me awake at night" and "one of the horrible, visible signs of drifting standards over recent years. It’s completely unacceptable."
He added that hospitals are contending with widespread flu, recent COVID outbreaks, and industrial action, "a complexity they could do without."
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
