Letter

Overcoming racism in the NHS

BMJ 1997; 314 doi: 10.1136/bmj.314.7098.1906a (Published 28 June 1997)
Cite this as: BMJ 1997;314:1906.2

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Those who wish to discriminate should change, not the candidates

  1. Nigel Turner, Director of human resourcesa
  1. a Royal Free Hospital, London NW3 2QG
  2. b Eastman Dental Institute and Hospital, London WC1X 8LD
  3. c Children's Hospital, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester LE1 5WW

    Editor—The basics of good practice in equal opportunities proposed by Aneez Esmail and Douglas Carnall let those who wish to discriminate off the hook.1

    Administrative changes designed to make it harder for those who are prejudiced to discriminate unlawfully treat the symptoms of racism, not the disease. The emphasis must be on training everyone concerned with recruitment and selection to ensure that they understand what is required of them and why. There must be an emphasis on clear, objective, evidence based selection criteria so that they know what they are looking for in candidates,2 and outcomes should be monitored to identify where discrimination may be taking place. If those who discriminate are not willing to change, it is they who must be cut out of the process not information on a …

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