Addressing Racism As A Significant Public Health Issue

7th September 2024

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray has issued a statement identifying racism as a significant public health challenge, and a key cause of health inequalities.

Echoing the First Minister and other Scottish Government ministers' comments on racism in the wake of recent violence in other parts of the United Kingdom, the Health Secretary has outlined various measures, including asking health boards to develop and deliver their own anti-racism plans.

Mr Gray said: "These changes can't come fast enough. Racism already has a life-threatening effect on minority ethnic communities across the UK. That has been the case for generations. The only way we can make a difference now is to actively work against racism. This work is just one step in the right direction. There is no place in Scotland for hatred or racism of any kind."

Earlier in the week, the Scottish Government’s 2024/25 Programme for Government included plans to embed anti-racism across the public sector.

The full text of the Health Secretary’s statement

The Programme for Government 2024-25 reiterates our unswerving commitment to embedding anti-racism across the public sector.

As the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, I acknowledge that racism persists in society and within our NHS and social care services. We know this because colleagues tell us about their experiences and because we have data showing that minority ethnic communities have some of the worst health outcomes. The long-standing harm caused by racism was highlighted again during the pandemic. As a result, we recognise racism as a significant public health challenge.

That is why I want to be clear that we are taking a firm anti-racism approach to the improvement of our services.

By anti-racism we mean actively standing up against racism, challenging and changing the policies, practices, beliefs and behaviours that unjustly disadvantage people from minority ethnic groups; and being proactive in creating a more inclusive and fair society. This is fundamental to our efforts to reduce health inequalities in Scotland.

I want to assure everyone that these are not just words - we have been working closely with NHS boards, experts, patients, and staff to develop targeted and meaningful changes to make sure everyone receives the treatment they deserve. We have also begun national conversations with staff-led organisations, like the NHS Scotland Ethnic Minority Forum, to ensure that what we’re doing can make a difference to the experience of people who are at the front of delivering care to the public every day.

In recognising that racism is a public health issue for Scotland, at the start of this year, we asked all 22 NHS Health Boards to make more rapid progress in tackling racism’s impact on patient and staff experiences, wellbeing and outcomes for which they will be held accountable.

We will achieve this through the requirement for all boards to develop and deliver against their own anti-racism plans. This will state their ambition and the action they will take to address racism – in whatever form it takes, as well as the outcomes they are seeking to achieve. Whilst some boards have already made progress, we are making anti-racism a priority for all boards so that this will be a true turning point in the culture of our NHS.

To help support the development of effective plans, we are publishing national guidance for boards. The guidance, developed in consultation with the Ethnic Minority Forum, provides a national standard for their anti-racism plans and the expectation that they will be done in collaboration with leadership, trade unions and local staff minority ethnic forums.

We are also taking forward the development of bespoke anti-racism training resources to support NHS managers on how to address racist incidents in the workplace and support staff who experience or witness it. These resources are being developed in partnership with external anti-racism experts using direct feedback from staff about their lived experience and understanding of racism.

We know that there is similar work happening in Social Work, with a statement of intent and action plan both expected this year.

Change is needed on many fronts. My priority is for NHS staff to feel safe and supported to speak up about racism, and to be confident that racism will be dealt with. I also want to see greater diversity across the NHS, including in leadership positions. Improvements in healthcare are also essential, focussing initially on areas where minority ethnic patients have poorer outcomes and experiences – including maternity care, mental health, Type 2 Diabetes and Cardio-Vascular Disease.

I recognise that these changes can’t come fast enough. Racism already has a life-threatening effect on minority ethnic communities across the UK. That has been the case for generations. However, the only way we can make a difference now is to actively work against racism. This work is just one step in the right direction.

Our health and care services have the power to transform people’s lives. I am therefore calling on everyone in the NHS in Scotland and in social care to harness that power. I want you to be leading anti-racism organisations and play a defining role in building a healthier and safer NHS and social care service. It is the only way we can grow and live up to the ideals of a fairer and prosperous Scotland.