Racist and Islamophobic riots have left many nurses feeling ‘afraid and unwelcome’, the new chief nursing officer (CNO) for England has said as he called out ‘unacceptable’ racism and discrimination faced by the profession.
In his first official message as CNO since his appointment last month, Duncan Burton said riots and violence seen across the country in recent weeks was ‘shocking and fundamentally wrong’.
‘These events have had a huge impact on nursing and midwifery colleagues, particularly as they have followed other racist incidents in our society, such as continuing acts of antisemitism, all of which are deeply worrying,’ he wrote in his first CNO Bulletin to the profession.
‘For many of you, the riots and groundswell of hate left you feeling afraid and unwelcome.
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‘To you and to other colleagues across the NHS who have felt this way, I want you to know you are welcome and you are valuable members of our community.’
Last week, Nursing in Practice reported that GP practices were forced to close early due to safety fears amid the riots which broke out after an attack in Southport.
As part of the violence, some Filipino nurses had rocks thrown at them on their way to deliver emergency care cover in Sunderland.
This week, NHS England published new guidance for GP practices on how to handle racist incidents, whether from patients or colleagues, in the wake of ‘civil unrest’ across the country.
And the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) issued updated guidance on when and how nurses and nursing associates could decide to refuse to treat a patient in their care.
Mr Burton said he had been visiting nursing colleagues across the country and had heard ‘first-hand how recent events have affected them’.
‘Our conversations have also reinforced that for many colleagues, racism and discrimination are something they face as part of their everyday lives,’ he said.
‘This is unacceptable.’
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He urged nursing staff to ‘continue to not only support our colleagues, but take action to root out racism and discrimination in all forms and embed antiracist practice’.
‘If you are affected by recent events or you’re feeling worried, please speak to your colleagues or manager, and access the support available,’ he said, while paying thanks to those who have supported those affected by the riots and those killed and injured in the attack in Southport.
Mr Burton also pointed to this week’s vandalisation of the statue of Mary Seacole, the Jamaican-born nurse who overcame racism and injustice to nurse soldiers during the Crimean War.
‘I was extremely saddened to see this and I know it has been upsetting for many colleagues, particularly as the statue which stands outside St Thomas’ Hospital is a symbol of nursing and midwifery, the NHS, diversity and overcoming social injustice,’ he said.
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Mr Burton added: ‘I am incredibly proud that today we have almost 200 nationalities represented in our NHS workforce and that our nursing and midwifery workforce in particular is so diverse.’
On his appointment as CNO, he said it was ‘an honour’ and that he looked forward to working with the profession to ‘improve patient care and experience, improve the nation’s health, grow and develop the workforce and inspire the next generation of nursing and midwifery professionals and leaders’.
Mr Burton, who was previously deputy CNO for England, replaced Dame Ruth May who retired after five years in post at the end of July.
