Posted 07 March 2023 - 05:00
Posted 07 March 2023 - 05:00
News
NHS England apologises to black nurse and praises her courage
‘Landmark’ tribunal found Michelle Cox was treated unfairly by her employer because of her race; NHS England vows to learn from its failings and drive change
‘Landmark’ tribunal found Michelle Cox was treated unfairly by her employer because of her race; NHS England vows to learn from its failings and drive change
The chief executive of NHS England (NHSE) has personally apologised to a black nurse who won a racial discrimination case and commended her ‘courage and resilience’.
Michelle Cox won a ‘landmark’ tribunal case against her employer NHSE on 15 February, which found her manager had created an ‘intimidating, hostile and humiliating’ environment due to her race.
Nurse hopes tribunal ruling will lead to change
Following the ruling, NHSE chief executive Amanda Pritchard wrote to Ms Cox to issue an apology and to insist she is wholly committed to ensuring that the organisation ‘learns from and acts on the failings’. Some initial areas of action have already been identified.
Ms Pritchard’s letter states: ‘I sincerely apologise to you for what you were put through and I am grateful for your courage and resilience in speaking up about practice that was inappropriate and discriminatory.’
In light of the apology, Ms Cox said she will be seeking a meeting with Ms Pritchard to discuss the outcome of her case so it can act as a driver for change.
A pattern of discrimination
Ms Cox joined NHS England in May 2017 as a continuing healthcare manager and a year later was appointed the regional lead to the chief nursing officers’ black minority ethnic (BME) strategic advisory group in the North West.
At the time she was the only black nurse to be employed in NHS England’s North region, and in 2019 began experiencing racial discrimination at work.
Last month’s tribunal heard how she was excluded from team awaydays, was not informed when white members of her team were promoted without due process, and was excluded from recruitment for senior posts in her team despite being a senior manager herself in a band 8 role.
Following the tribunal she said: ‘I want this outcome to send a strong message to anyone facing similar behaviour in the workplace, particularly due to race, to have the courage to speak up.’
There must be ‘no space for racism in the NHS’, says union
The RCN said the tribunal’s outcome ‘must drive change’ and that ‘racial discrimination should never be acceptable or tolerated.’
The college’s director for England Patricia Marquis added: ‘While this case and what Michelle Cox has been subjected to is shocking, it is sadly not uncommon.
‘Minority ethnic staff are substantially less likely to be shortlisted for jobs, more likely to face disciplinary action, and more likely to report harassment, bullying and abuse from patients, than their white colleagues.
‘There can be no space for racism in the NHS and, as Michelle Cox has said, I hope this landmark case encourages anyone facing similar behaviour in the workplace to have the courage to speak up.’
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