Of the 1.2 million people employed by the National Health Service, the United Kingdom’s publicly funded universal healthcare system, 20.7% have Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) heritage. During the ongoing pandemic, BAME workers in the NHS are facing worse career progression, targeted discrimination, and more disciplinary action compared to their white peers. Although Black healthcare workers are represented in BAME statistics – making up 6.1% of the NHS workforce – they are fighting for their unique experiences to be recognized and responded to.

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2023 marks the 75th anniversary of the NHS, yet its promise of universal care is complicated by the realities of racism, silencing, and sacrifice that Black healthcare workers face. In the wake of a record-breaking nurses’ strike for a liveable wage, a formal National Inquiry into the government’s response to COVID-19 is set to begin in the spring of 2023. Working on the frontline of the NHS during the ongoing pandemic, Black doctors and nurses offer vital insight into the challenges, courage, community, and care that emerged out of crisis. In these stories, you hear the voices of these healthcare workers, gaining reflective insight into their experiences on the frontlines throughout the pandemic.

To protect their identities, each narrator was given a pseudonym. This protection is crucial to ensure each narrator can share the full truth of their lived experience. It is also crucial due to the repercussions that Black healthcare workers face when they speak up about experiencing issues of discrimination. Each narrator is also listed with their medical specialty. To listen to a story, click on a narrator’s name.

  • Abigail

    Doctor - Doctor at Hospital

  • Adeline

    Doctor - Junior Doctor (Intensive Care and other wards)

  • Adric

    Doctor - Junior Doctor (General Surgery)

  • Afia

    Doctor - Orthopaedic Surgeon

  • Alyssa

    Doctor - Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

  • Angela

    Doctor - Doctor at Hospital

  • Antero

    Doctor - General Practioner (GP)

  • Benjamin

    Doctor - Doctor and Clinical Director in Hospital

  • Cheryl

    Doctor - General Practitioner (GP)

  • Cylvia

    Doctor - Doctor at Hospital

  • Cynthia

    Doctor - General Practioner (GP)

  • Dawn

    Doctor - Paediatric Registrar & Clinical Research Fellow

  • Elizabeth

    Doctor - General Practioner (GP)

  • Evans

    Doctor - Junior Doctor

  • Ewaoluwa

    Doctor - General Practitoner (GP)

  • Eyitayo

    Doctor - Paediatric Orthopaedic Consultant Surgeon

  • Femi

    Doctor - Doctor at Hospital (Neurology)

  • Gini

    Doctor - Doctor at Community Hospital

  • Grace

    Doctor - Infectious Diseases & Microbiology Doctor.

  • Gregory

    Doctor - Consultant Urological Surgeon

  • Haniah

    Doctor - GP formerly Junior Surgical Doctor redeployed to Intensive care

  • Helena

    Doctor - General Practitioner (GP)

  • Hellen

    Doctor - GP & Medical Director (Urgent Care) LAS

  • Imbrahim

    Doctor - Consultant Geriatrician & Hon Clinical Associate Professor

  • Indiya

    Doctor - General Practioner (GP)

  • Jaiyesimi

    Doctor - Speciality Trainee in Intensive Care Medicine

  • Jamal

    Doctor - GP and Doctor in Hospital

  • Jandayi

    Doctor - General Practioner (GP)

  • Jewel

    Doctor - Consultant Anaesthetist

  • Joanna

    Doctor - General Practitoner (GP)

  • Juhara

    Doctor - Consultant and Surgeon at Hospital

  • Kamara

    Doctor - General Practitoner (GP)

  • Layla

    Doctor - Doctor and Surgeon in Hospital

  • Leann

    Doctor - General Practioner (GP)

  • Martin

    Doctor - Doctor - Pharmaceuticals

  • Morayo

    Doctor - General Practioner (GP)

  • Naomi

    Doctor - Doctor at Hospital

  • Nathan

    Doctor - Professor and Consultant NeuroGastroenterologist

  • Ngozie

    Doctor - General Practitioner (GP)

  • Paul

    Doctor - General Practitioner (GP)

  • Paul

    Doctor - Consultant Physician

  • Peter

    Doctor - Orthopaedic Registrar

  • Ruth

    Doctor - Paediatrician at Hospital

  • Seye

    Doctor - Gastroenterology Trainee Registrar

  • Stella

    Doctor - Opthamology

  • Tanya

    Doctor - Junior Doctor (Working in Mental Health during pandemic now in Primary Care)

  • Terry

    Doctor - Junior Doctor

  • Wendy

    Doctor - Consultant and Opthamalogy Surgeon - Clinical Lead

  • Yele

    Doctor - Specialty Registrar

  • Zirachi

    Doctor - General Practioner (GP)

  • Adeola

    Nurse - Acute District Nurse

  • Agnes

    Nurse - Critical Care Nurse

  • Akuabata

    Nurse - Opthamology (deployed to ICU)

  • Alexander

    Nurse - Mental Health Nurse & Network Manager (redeployed to work in Acute Hospital during pandemic)

  • Aliyah

    Nurse - Nurse/Midwife

  • Amir

    Nurse - Intensive Care

  • Bishaaro

    Nurse - Nursing Associate - Mental Health

  • Boluwatife

    Nurse - Nurse Manager in home

  • Brenda

    Nurse - Peripatetic Agency Nurse

  • Carolyn

    Nurse - Nurse

  • Celine

    Nurse - Named Nursed for Looked After Children - Hounslow

  • Charlotte

    Nurse - Critical Care Matron

  • Cindy

    Nurse - Intensive Care Unit

  • Elaine

    Nurse - Senior Research Nurse formerly Frontline

  • Elenor

    Nurse - Paediatric Nurse

  • Felicia

    Nurse - Respiratory Nurse

  • Fezeka

    Nurse - Sexual & Reproductive Health Trainer nurse (deployed to Acute Care)

  • Folashade

    Nurse - Senior Nurse Practioner

  • Gabrielle

    Nurse - Registered Nurse/Dementia Clinical Nurse Specialist

  • Grace

    Nurse - Nurse (Maternity)

  • Helen

    Nurse - Practice Nurse

  • Jessica

    Nurse - Psychiatric Nurse (Community and Agency - Locum)

  • Jody

    Nurse - Clinical nurse specialist in HIV, Women's Health

  • Jonathan

    Nurse - Opthamology

  • Joseph

    Nurse - Orthopaedic Scrub Nurse

  • Joy-Anne

    Nurse - Mental Health Nurse/Operational Manager

  • Kadija

    Nurse - Nurse

  • Kate

    Nurse - Locum Nurse (Agency)

  • Louisa

    Nurse - Nurse Director

  • Marie

    Nurse - Interim Head of Quality Initiatives and Clinical Standards & Mental Health Nurse

  • Matthew

    Nurse - Neuro Disability - now Clinical Nurse Educator

  • Miriam

    Nurse - EDI Manager and Nurse (Freelance)

  • Nala

    Nurse - Senior Staff Nurse

  • Patricia

    Nurse - Midwife (Agency)

  • Peter

    Nurse - Intensive Care Nurse

  • Phillip

    Nurse - A&E Critical Care

  • Rachel

    Nurse - Staff Nurse, ICU Dept.

  • Samantha

    Nurse - Nurse (now doing Agency work)

  • Samira

    Nurse - Haematology Nurse

  • Saundria

    Nurse - Nurse & Line Manager

  • Shashana

    Nurse - Obesity/Diabetes Nurse/Midwife

  • Susan

    Nurse - Acute Elderly Ward

  • Tasha

    Nurse - Senior Nurse

  • Trudi

    Nurse - Practice Development Nurse, Acute Medicine (deployed to ICU)

  • Vanessa

    Nurse - Mental Health Nurse

  • Victoria

    Nurse - Specialist Nurse

  • Virgil

    Nurse - Mental Health Nurse worked in Acute Hospital during pandemic

  • Whitney

    Nurse - Nurse/Bed Manager

  • Yasmin

    Nurse - Critical Care Sister & Nurse

  • Ziwe

    Nurse - Mental Health Nurse

Usa

Ghana

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