Our collective responsibility to eradicate racism
Today is the international day for the elimination of racial discrimination and Jill Foster, Chief Nurse has issued a plea to all of us to play our part in eradicating racism.
"I am taking this opportunity to highlight the role we all need to play in eradicating racism in our communities and our workplace.
"Within Cumbria just over 2% of the population are from a BAME background. Come into our hospitals and our services and that rises to over 12%."Over the last few years I am delighted that we have recruited more international nurses and we continue to rely on overseas medical staff so that we can run our services. We value this diversity within our workforce, and we need staff from all nationalities to be able to run our services.
"Yet still, our staff survey tells us that if you are from a BAME background you are twice as likely to experience bullying, harassment from patients or colleagues. "It’s time for us all to act. We have a duty of care to our workforce, our families and our communities to have an absolute zero tolerance to racism.
"Where we witness it, it is all of our responsibility to respectfully challenge it and where we experience it, it is our responsibility to report it.
"Our healthcare professionals are all equal, all human, each with their own personal lives, responsibilities and vulnerabilities.
"No matter your race, religion, disability, or sexuality we are all human, and we all have a responsibility to improve the lives of each other.
"There are lots of ways that we can support you to report this internally and externally and if you are not sure where to go, you can speak to our people promise team or our freedom to speak up guardian in confidence.
"Please join me in making sure we do all we can to eradicate racism."
