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