Everyone has a part to play in stopping racism in the NHS, says RCM

on 19 January 2024 NHS NHS Staff NHS Scotland Race matters Midwives Midwifery Maternity Services MSWs - Maternity Support Workers RCM Member RCM Scotland Scotland RCM Equality, diversity and inclusivity Equality and Diversity

Racism has no place in the NHS in Scotland or anywhere else and it’s everyone’s job, including midwives, to help eradicate it wherever it rears its ugly head, says the Royal College of Midwives (RCM).

The RCM is calling on its members in Scotland to complete the ‘Help Us to Tackle Racism’ survey by the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER), outlining their experience and/or their understanding of racism and its impact.  Anyone who works in health or social care can complete it, including those who left within the last five years.

The results of this will be used by the Scottish Government, who commissioned the survey, to create a host of anti-racism resources, specifically designed for all staff in the NHS. These will focus on how to understand and identify structural racism and the best way to report it, as well as how racism impacts on people who receiving and witnessing it.

Commenting on the survey Director of RCM Scotland, Jaki Lambert said:

“Everyone has a role to play in rooting out racism within the NHS in Scotland and by completing this survey, midwives can help play their part.  We must do all we can to dismantle racism within the NHS, so whatever your race, skin colour, religion or ethnicity, all people are treated equally and respectfully.

“Our NHS should be a place where all staff feel safe, supported and listened. Sadly, too often this is not always the case. We must strive to create an environment where midwives and all NHS feel then can speak up and call out racism without fear. Everyone – from organisations like the RCM to governments and NHS bodies, including trusts and boards – has a part to play and we must do better.”

The survey will only take a few minutes to do. It is open for responses from 15 January to 9 February and can be completed online here.

More information about the project is available on the CRER website.

 

Notes

The RCM has been working hard to tackle racism in Scotland through its Race Matters programme. This aims to improve maternity care and outcomes for Black, Asian and minority ethnic women and working conditions in the NHS for Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff.

The RCM has a mentoring scheme to support Black, Asian, and minority ethnic midwives and maternity support workers with their career development, with the aim of having more leaders from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities in maternity services.