The Hidden Harms of Racism & Discrimination in Healthcare.
The Hidden Harms of Racism & Discrimination in Healthcare.
Is racism in healthcare a UK problem?
In the UK, black women are four times more likely to die during childbirth than white women. Black and brown doctors are twice as likely to be reported to the General Medical Council by their colleagues. White doctors are six times more likely to be offered a London medical job than black doctors. For every £1 a black woman doctor makes, white women make £1.19 and white male doctors make £1.38. During the first month of the UK's 2020 lockdown, 95% of doctors who died were black, asian or from an ethnic minority.
This is what frontline doctors have to say.
Our Reports
The Professional
Why non-white medical students and doctors fare worse in academic attainment, recruitment, retention and career progression.
20 min read.
The Patient
How racism in the UK impacts health equity and the experience of our patients.
20 min read.
Our “AMEs”
We came up with a list of recommendations, or rather AME’s to reduce disparity in the healthcare system. It’s written for employers, medical schools, royal colleges & key stakeholders that work with doctors.
5 min read.
Act
Lasting change is rooted in the culture of an institution. It is created intentionally. Though mandatory Equality Diversity & Inclusion training is well intentioned, it is not the sole silver bullet needed to conquer racial inequality and deeply held biases.
Measure
At an institutional level, transparency encourages accountability. It also fosters a sense of openness, commitment to change & improved trust. We believe that organisations should collect and analyse information on racial disparities.
Educate
Despite recent enthusiasm to fight against racial harms, improving the racial literacy of those with educational, pastoral and recruiting powers is often left to the individual. The onus instead should be placed on those in the position to make institutional redress of bias.
Our Resources
All our PDFs in one place.
A poignant, prize-winning poem by Dr Abigail Whittaker
“Not the black Doctor” the patient says, as she sits on the edge of her hospital bed.
Her gown hanging down to the cold concrete,
eyes fixed on the white doctor standing beside her.
Beside her in person,
but does he stand beside her in belief?
That the colour of your skin defines your ability or worth, a warped view and infection of the mind.
A prevalent poison that plagues lives of many; racism.
A cure stronger than medicine is required to overcome, the symptoms of intolerance and aversion to difference.
Who could believe that “I have a dream” to do the job I was trained to do,
is something still challenged to this day?
That Caged Birds still sing through the bars that contain them, containing their rights for equality and respect.
The irony of the situation not lost, that the black Doctor who repairs hearts cannot fix this one.
For this patient’s heart damaged by cracks of intolerance, begs to be mended from scars of prejudice that are its inheritance.
The white doctor pauses to consider the implications, of a request based on the depth of your skin tone and not the knowledge you possess.
His own list in five days’ time requiring the patient to sit, five days longer in a hospital bed with the risks that accompany it.
He must consider his options.
To respect his peer or respect the patient’s unfounded fear?
To challenge her views or create a challenge for himself anew?
Is this not a battle worth fighting for?
Compliance is silence, but the unbroken cycle of prejudice is deafening.
A decision must be made, will the cycle finally be broken?
The white doctor standing at the end of the hospital bed, begins to speak with cold concrete beneath his feet.
“Okay”
“Not the black Doctor” the white doctor says.
Without the volunteer Doctor & Medical Student writers listed below, this work would not have been possible.
Dr Yvonne Abimbola. Alice Abiola. Dr Yewande Adisa. Amna Ahmed. Dr Olayemi Bello. Dr Zainab Bello. Dr Isobel Braithwaite. Dr Michelle Chivso. Dr Sandra Danso-Bamfo. Dr Michelle Dinsey. Dr Nagla Elfaki. Ayolola Eni-Olotu. Dr Matilda Esan. Dr Hazel Fofie. Dr Asha Gibbs. Dr Nadia Ibrahim. Dr Oge Ilozue. Dr Amile Inusa. Dr Aalaa Jawad. Dr Courtney Johnson. Kish Johnson.
Dr Yvonne Abimbola. Alice Abiola. Dr Yewande Adisa. Amna Ahmed. Dr Olayemi Bello. Dr Zainab Bello. Dr Isobel Braithwaite. Dr Michelle Chivso. Dr Sandra Danso-Bamfo. Dr Michelle Dinsey. Dr Nagla Elfaki. Ayolola Eni-Olotu. Dr Matilda Esan. Dr Hazel Fofie. Dr Asha Gibbs. Dr Nadia Ibrahim. Dr Oge Ilozue. Dr Amile Inusa. Dr Aalaa Jawad. Dr Courtney Johnson. Kish Johnson.
FAQs
+ Why write these?
Soon after the killing of George Floyd, a group of black doctors got together over Zoom to discuss the ways in which their profession is complicit in perpetuating racial disparities. After several months of discussions, literature reviews and writing, the Hidden Harms project was born.
+ What is the work about?
The first report details how systemic racism impacts medical professionals. The second report explores the experience of BAME patients. In our recommendations, you’ll find an uncomplicated, anti-racist approach to removing barriers and disparities in healthcare.
Dr Yvonne Abimbola. Alice Abiola. Dr Yewande Adisa. Amna Ahmed. Dr Olayemi Bello. Dr Zainab Bello. Dr Isobel Braithwaite. Dr Michelle Chivso. Dr Sandra Danso-Bamfo. Dr Michelle Dinsey. Dr Nagla Elfaki. Ayolola Eni-Olotu. Dr Matilda Esan. Dr Hazel Fofie. Dr Asha Gibbs. Dr Nadia Ibrahim. Dr Oge Ilozue. Dr Amile Inusa. Dr Aalaa Jawad. Dr Courtney Johnson. Kish Johnson.
Dr Yvonne Abimbola. Alice Abiola. Dr Yewande Adisa. Amna Ahmed. Dr Olayemi Bello. Dr Zainab Bello. Dr Isobel Braithwaite. Dr Michelle Chivso. Dr Sandra Danso-Bamfo. Dr Michelle Dinsey. Dr Nagla Elfaki. Ayolola Eni-Olotu. Dr Matilda Esan. Dr Hazel Fofie. Dr Asha Gibbs. Dr Nadia Ibrahim. Dr Oge Ilozue. Dr Amile Inusa. Dr Aalaa Jawad. Dr Courtney Johnson. Kish Johnson.
Lastly,
if you would like to get in touch with the writing team, drop us a line.