Two laboratory employees said they were directly discriminated against on the grounds of race, and were paid more than £120,000 in compensation
Almost a quarter of staff at hospitals in Barking, Havering and Redbridge say they have been racially abused. A staff survey carried out last year by Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT) revealed 24 per cent of staff members had experienced discrimination.
It is one of the most ethnically diverse NHS trusts in the country, with 146 countries represented in the 8,400-strong workforce.
An employment tribunal in 2023 found that two laboratory employees had been directly discriminated against on the grounds of race, and they were paid more than £120,000 in compensation.
In an update to BHRUT stakeholders last week, chief executive Matthew Trainer said it was “unacceptable”.
In late January, the trust signed UNISON’s ‘anti-racism charter,’ which lays out a series of pledges to tackle discrimination in workplaces. They include a platform for reporting racism and investigating wage gaps based on race, alongside offering “unconscious bias and anti-racism training” for all staff members.
After the signing, the chief executive said: “What’s included in this charter is a recognition that our leaders see this as an issue that needs to be taken very seriously for the wellbeing of our staff and for our effective function as a hospital. We’ll follow that through by taking actions that allow us to demonstrate through the things that we do that we take anti-racism seriously and we’ll ensure the actions we’re taking are having a measurable impact.”
Margaret Mullane, the Labour MP for Dagenham and Rainham, said she thought it sent a “strong statement to all your staff, that you’ve listened, you’re aware of it and working with them”. She added: “It isn’t just a launch and a piece of paper, it’s an action and you all seem very engaged which I think is fantastic.”
