Racial Discrimination and Harassment in Primary Care Settings in London

The report highlights key findings from a survey regarding discrimination and harassment in the workplace, focusing on racial discrimination within the primary care sector. The survey revealed the following:

Experience of discrimination:

• Approximately half of the participants reported being harassed or discriminated against based on their personal characteristics at work in the past year.
• Four out of ten people experienced harassment or discrimination from patients, while three out of ten faced it from colleagues or managers.

Racial discrimination and harassment:

• Ethnicity was the most common characteristic associated with harassment and discrimination.
• One in three respondents reported racial discrimination or harassment from patients, and about one in five experienced it from staff they worked with.
• Individuals from Black and Asian backgrounds were more likely to experience racial discrimination or harassment.
• Two-thirds of incidents involved subtle or underhand comments or actions, contributing to a perceived hostile or unsupportive work culture.

Impacts of discrimination and harassment:

• Discrimination and harassment negatively affected individuals, leading to loss of confidence, emotional distress, sick leave, role changes, and mental health issues.
• Institutional or systemic racism was reported by some, affecting practices or teams from minority ethnic groups.
• A significant proportion (12%) considered leaving their roles due to racial discrimination or harassment.
• Addressing discrimination and harassment:
• Only one-third of individuals who experienced racial discrimination or harassment reported it, and only 10% felt it was handled well.
• Many people from minority ethnic groups lacked knowledge about where to seek help or doubted that reporting would lead to action.
• Participants called for cultural and process changes in primary care, including diversity and inclusion training, recruitment of diverse leadership, and an independent mechanism to investigate racial discrimination and harassment.

The survey findings underscore the need for addressing racial discrimination and creating a safer and more supportive environment for the diverse workforce in primary care. Recommendations include training, diverse leadership, and an independent system to address racial discrimination and harassment.