Providing psychological safety to Black, Asian and ethnic minority staff so they can raise concerns about patient care without fear would save lives, write Dr Jennifer Creese, Dr Joy Spiliopoulos and Prof Carolyn Tarrant
Your report (One in five black, Asian and minority ethnic NHS managers in England plan to quit amid racism, report finds, 15 September) rightly highlights racism, exclusion and blocked career progression in the NHS. But it also points to a wider risk: patient safety. Care mistakes already cost the NHS £14.7bn a year.
A March 2025 report by the NHS Race & Health Observatory notes that Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) staff, who make up more than 40% of the medical and dental workforce, still face harassment and discrimination in promotion, everyday work and disciplinary processes. This fuels stress, burnout and poorer mental health. Bullying and harassment are estimated to cost NHS England £2bn a year through staff turnover, sickness and lost productivity. In such environments, BAME staff are less likely than white colleagues to speak up about patient safety, fearing that their concerns will not be understood or taken seriously.
