The “harsh reality” of racism facing many ethnic minority doctors working in NHS Scotland has been revealed in a new study from BMA Scotland.

Four years since its last survey on racism in NHS Scotland, the doctors’ union reports that little progress has been made in tackling entrenched racial inequalities.

Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed have experienced or witnessed racist incidents in the workplace.

Doctors also reported alarming levels of inequality, including in-work discrimination and a widening gap in first-time application success between white and non-white doctors.

The Chair of BMA Scotland’s Race Equality Forum, Dr Sajid Farid, said the findings show that not only is racism far too common in the NHS, but the situation also appears to be getting worse.

Dr Farid added that the Scottish government and health boards must now take urgent action to tackle discrimination:

“This report shines a light on the harsh reality that many ethnic minority doctors in Scotland are still experiencing racism personally or witnessing incidents.

“Despite increasing recognition and awareness of the deeply entrenched issues of racism and inequality, there has been a lack of progress in tackling discrimination which exists in the NHS and it remains far too prevalent.

“This report highlights the need for urgent and effective action and we call on the Scottish government and NHS boards to do much more to address the issue and do more to prioritise the wellbeing and professional growth of all ethnic minority doctors, which will also ensure high-quality patient care.

“Tackling inequality within the NHS workforce is a complex issue which does not have one solution, and a number of different approaches will be required.”

He said efforts must include increasing diversity in the recruitment process, removing barriers to entry and reporting discrimination while in the workplace.

This echoes calls made by the Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity committee chair for action to improve diversity in healthcare.

BMA Scotland found no progress has been made in addressing inequalities in recruitment efforts.

While white doctors saw first-time job application success rates rise by 6% from 2021 to 2024, non-white doctors experienced a 5% decrease in their success rate.

BMA Scotland also found an increase in reports of racist incidents since 2021, and suggestions that many are going unaddressed, perpetuating a culture where racism goes unchallenged.

Meanwhile, only 11% of non-white doctors took the steps to formally raise a complaint about a racist incident, a 6% decrease since 2021.

Despite ethnic minority doctors being more likely to raise grievance complaints, they were less satisfied with the outcomes than white doctors.

Dr Farid said the findings show that more must be done to investigate and take action on complaints from non-white doctors regarding racist incidents, and other workplace issues.

He said this reflects a poor workplace culture which must be addressed across the NHS:

“There must be proactive steps taken to create a culture of inclusion in the NHS, which must start at the top with managers and leadership and include making sure that all employees receive training on topics such as unconscious bias, cultural awareness, and diversity and inclusion.

“Mentoring can play a crucial role in encouraging and supporting individuals from underrepresented groups to progress and strategies must be developed to help non-white doctors develop their careers, including into senior medical leadership roles.

“A zero-tolerance approach must be taken to discrimination and harassment, so that ethnic minority doctors, who are a vital part of the workforce in Scotland, feel valued and supported to have a long and fulfilling career in the NHS.”

Read more: Corridor care ‘the norm' in struggling hospitals; Labour: We'll fix the NHS, starting with GPs;  Nursing report spotlights burnout and discrimination; First Minister unveils NHS renewal plans; Improvements agreed for Scotland’s midwives and nurses; NHS Scotland: waiting lists and beyond; Diversity in health and care – what can we do?; Scottish doctors happier but still at risk of burnout

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