Racism and Islamophobia

We know following the tragic incident in Southport and the frightening incidents and disturbances that have followed including acts of racism and islamophobia, that many colleagues have been reaching out to support colleagues, service users, carers and volunteers. Showing you care, offering support and a listening ear – these are small things to do but the impact can be huge and help to create a sense of belonging at a time when many people may feel isolated.  We have produced a guide, designed to help start a conversation about racism or islamophobia.

Additional support for managers

We will be holding several CPD sessions to support managers. Please join us for further guidance and support.

We have a series of supportive sessions and events running over the next two weeks which we hope will help:

• Cultural Cafes: From the 12 August we will be running a programme of Cultural Cafes. These will be a safe facilitated space for all colleagues to come together to show support and talk about the impact of racism, Islamophobia and the violence on them, their families and communities and our services. Everyone is welcome.
• Manager’s Support Circle:  We will be holding weekly sessions for our managers providing a facilitated space to discuss the support you can offer your teams and each other at this time. This will be supplemented with Bitesize learning sessions on key topics.
• Nafsiyat Led Multi-Ethnic Colleague Reflective space: This is a safe space for multi-ethnic colleagues to reflect. This is facilitated by our partners Nafsiyat who specialise in Intercultural therapy and support. Sessions can be for individuals or a group. 
• NAFSIYAT offer a confidential, one to one intercultural therapy session for colleagues from minority ethnic communities, which can be offered in a range of languages. You can self refer to NAFSIYAT via referrals@nafsiyat.org.uk or your manager or colleague can complete the referral form. Initially for the next two weeks, referrals will be fast tracked and triaged, with the appropriate support put in place. This could be individual or group based sessions.
• Multi- Ethnic Communities Network: Our network is providing support to its members at this difficult time, and they will be holding two meetings (week of 12 August) to provide a safe space for members.
• Schwartz Round: The Schwartz Round on 22 August will focus on the racism, islamophobia and violent acts following the Southport incident. Schwartz Rounds provide a structured forum where all staff, come together to discuss the emotional and social aspects of our work and the impact that this can have.

The deplorable violence, intimidation and thuggery, witnessed in recent weeks following the tragedy in Southport, can and should be lent no justification. We have heard from AHP leaders that this has had a significant impact on NHS staff and the allied health professional community, this flare-up of islamophobia, antisemitism and racism will leave colleagues feeling afraid and unwelcome.

To those colleagues I have a simple message, you are a valued member of the AHP community and the AHP community should look after and support you.

While the events of recent weeks have brought a particularly acute focus on the racism that some colleagues and members of our communities still face, these are longstanding issues that require long term commitment. While much of what has happened is not within our influence, what happens within the NHS is.

The AHP Strategy for England: AHPs Deliver provides an overarching and clear commitment that the AHP community will be anti-discriminatory and anti-racist in its approaches. The strategy recognises the need for AHPs to play an active role in addressing societal, systemic and everyday racism within health and care. I would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm the need for AHPs to tackle racism in all its forms – for all those we care for and our colleagues, to create a fair and inclusive workplace that values each team member and allows everyone to succeed. May I also take this opportunity to signpost you to the statement issued by the Health and Care Professions Council Chief Executive and Registrar Bernie O’Reilly: Violence and disorder is disgraceful and has no legitimacy. 

NHS England met with integrated care board and trust chief executives last week to discuss the NHS’s response to the civil unrest and groundswell of hate witnessed across the country, in particular over the past fortnight. Subsequently a letter has been issued which can be accessed through this link: NHS England » NHS response to 2024 riots. The annex of this provides guidance and information and clarifies key points of concern which may be useful to you as leaders.

I appreciate the extra support the AHP regional Black, Asian and minority ethnic networks and AHP leaders, are providing hurt, sad, anxious and scared colleagues. My ask of you all is to support one another with compassion, to ask if people are OK during these difficult times and to show in your actions that we have a zero tolerance of racism and discrimination towards our patients and colleagues. If you are feeling anxious, scared or upset by these recent events, please speak to your local leaders to let them know how this is impacting you and do access any extra support provided by your organisations, including the Employment Assistance Programmes and Talking Therapies for wellbeing. 

Professor Suzanne Rastrick OBE

Chief Allied Health Professions Officer for England