To the Newham Voices Team,

When reading the latest copy of Newham Voices, I felt a deep connection to the story about discrimination in the NHS. My mother, a Zimbabwean radiographer, would often come back home and tell me personal stories about her working environment. She, like many, has rejected opportunities in the NHS due to the lack of diversity as she felt her training would be neglected if left to other members of staff.

She has also had to fight discrimination battles against rude colleagues and lost. Mistakes plague her nights after her shifts – they follow her home because she cares about her patients but also because mistakes for her could be detrimental to her career.

The idea that certain members of staff are incompetent is prevalent in our culture, as I hear people often complaining that their doctor or nurse doesn’t “speak English well-enough”. Statistically, the NHS employs ethnic minorities more than any other company in the UK, so you would think that the general public would be grateful.

It is a sad reality that we still have ways to go before we end discrimination, but the idea that each Borough and Trust should receive their own independent guidance and support is encouraging. Each hospital is affected by its geography and I think more people should be made aware of this.

An important but encouraging article,

Nicole Blythe

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