Black Nurse Says Patient Requested White Care
More than 21,000 cases of racist abuse against nursing staff have been reported across the UK over the past four years, according to new findings from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), which says incidents have risen by 78%.
The union’s research revealed that reports of racial abuse in NHS Trusts and Health Boards increased from 3,652 cases in 2022 to 6,812 in 2025. However, the RCN believes the real scale of the problem is likely much greater, as not all NHS organisations responded to Freedom of Information requests and many nurses may avoid reporting incidents due to fears of retaliation or doubts that action will be taken.
Nurses described facing deeply offensive racist behaviour while carrying out their work. Community nurse Neomi Bennett, who works in southwest London, said she has personally encountered patients refusing her care because of her race.
Bennett told The Mirror that some patients have asked for a white nurse instead or stated they did not want her touching them. She believes the increase in abuse reflects wider tensions within British society.
The RCN’s findings included several disturbing examples of racism in healthcare settings. One nurse reportedly had a hot drink thrown at them during a racially motivated incident, while another faced criticism on social media from a patient complaining that hospital staff were not “white or British.”
Reports made to the RCN also included claims that a patient’s relatives requested their daughter not be cared for by Black staff, and that some nurses experienced prejudice from colleagues. One nurse said a senior staff member openly expressed dislike toward Indian people, while another observing Ramadan reported hearing negative comments about Muslim staff and prayer practices.
The rise in complaints comes as the NHS continues to rely heavily on overseas recruitment. Around 75,000 internationally trained nurses have arrived in the UK over the last five years, according to the RCN. At the same time, political debate over immigration has intensified, with proposals from major parties to tighten immigration rules and alter eligibility requirements for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
Bennett, who founded the campaign group Equality4BlackNurses in 2020, said racism within healthcare worsened during the Covid pandemic. She recalled experiences such as inadequate PPE provision for Black staff and highlighted the disproportionate impact of Covid-related deaths among ethnic minority NHS workers.
She also linked the increase in racist behaviour to broader political and social rhetoric surrounding immigration and far-right activism, arguing that many affected nurses are legally employed in the UK on skilled worker visas.
The RCN has repeatedly warned that anti-migrant language used in political debate risks encouraging discrimination against healthcare workers. The organisation has criticised proposals to extend the qualifying period for ILR from five to ten years, saying such policies may further marginalise migrant nursing staff.
Speaking ahead of the RCN’s annual congress in Liverpool, General Secretary Professor Nicola Ranger criticised NHS organisations for inconsistent data collection and called for a standardised system for reporting racist incidents across the health service.
She said nursing staff, drawn from many different nationalities and ethnic backgrounds, are essential to the NHS and deserve protection from racism and abuse.
Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England, condemned racism against NHS employees and said healthcare organisations must adopt a zero-tolerance approach. He stressed that incidents should be reported and dealt with seriously, including involving police and pursuing criminal action where necessary. Burton also said NHS employers must ensure staff feel safe reporting abuse and receive appropriate support when they do so.
