§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to counter the racial abuse of National Health Service staff by some patients; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FreemanMembers of minority communities play an invaluable part in the NHS, for which many of us have cause to feel profoundly grateful. We totally deplore any racially motivated abuse of them.
Racial abuse or harassment is recognised as a form of violence in the report of the DHSS advisory committee on violence to staff which was chaired by my noble Friend Lord Skelmersdale. The report, which was published in July last year and a copy of which is in the Library, recommends that every unit should have a local strategy for dealing with violence, including preventive measures, suitable responses and support for staff who are victims. I t also emphasises the critical importance of reporting systems and of encouraging staff to report all incidents.
We support this approach and hope that any member of staff who is subjected to or witnesses racial abuse will be 677W encouraged to report it to his or her manager whose immediate responsibility it is to ensure that suitable action is taken.