Indian Docs call on PM Modi to challenge NHS racism

The NHS is the one public sector workplace where diversity thrives and its benefits are self evident. How many times have we heard these wonderfully warm words from our politicians? Yet, if that really is the case, then can someone tell me why Black and Asian ethnic minority NHS staff, are much more likely to face disciplinary charges than their white counterparts?

Put simply the NHS could not function if not for the dedication and professionalism of its diverse medical staff. So why are these staff, whose work is essential to the health of the nation, being treated so badly? Two words: Institutionalised racism.

Doctors working in Britain who received their training in India are four times more likely to be struck off than those who trained locally, figures have revealed.

Statistics recently published by the UK General Medical Council (GMC) s show that between 2008 and 2013, 117 Indian and Pakistani doctors were stuck off the medical register. During the same time period, 142 doctors who trained in Britain were struck off.

In an unprecedented move Indian based doctors working for the NHS, have launched a campaign against what they describe as "victimisation" and called upon the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to raise the issue during his planned visit to the UK later this year.

The campaign was launched by Professor Narinder Kapur, a visiting professor of neuropsychology at University College London and enjoys the support of the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO) and British Indian Doctors Association (BIDA).

Prof Kapur has recently written to a group of Indian-origin MP's , seeking their urgent support in tackling the institutional racism" within the NHS, faced by many BME doctors in the UK"

Highlighting the victimisation within the NHS staff Prof Kaur stated in the letter, which was been co-signed by BAPIO president Dr Ramesh Mehta and BIDA president Dr Sabyasachi Sarker that:

Over the past few years, we have had to support a number of Indian doctors who have found themselves in this sad and distressing situation, often having to face kangaroo courts in NHS Trusts, with huge financial expenditure on all sides,"

The letter continues...

There needs to be a radical overhaul of NHS investigatory and disciplinary procedures, which in their present form are heavily biased against BME staff, and which in some people's eyes reflect a form of institutional racism."

Over the next few weeks meeting are planned with MP's Valerie Vaz and Alok Sharma to further discuss this issues. However, Prof Kaur called on the Indian government to do more to place pressure on Britain to tackle this horror faced by many BME NHS staff. Pof Kaur elaborated and stated that:

The Indian government must also put pressure on the British government. This issue must feature highly on the agenda when Prime Minister Modi visits later this year as it has a direct impact on India - many of these doctors still have an Indian passport and have family based there, who suffer by extension"

This problem of tackling poor practice in the NHS was highlighted recently in a recent report published in February 2015. The report written by Sir Robert Francis highlighted the poor response of NHS mangers to 'whistle blowers' who call time on bad practice. The report found:

Repeatedly we hear of unaccountable managers protecting themselves and undertaking biased investigations, character assassination, lengthy suspensions, disciplinary hearings which resemble kangaroo courts, and ultimately dismissal of staff who previously had exemplary work records".

In an increasingly globalised world, issues of workplace diversity, fairness at work ,and equality of opportunity will increasingly emerged onto the Prime Ministers agenda. Let's hope other nations follow suit and support their citizens and their descendants in tackling racism here in the UK

Lee Jasper