Re: Allowing patients to choose the ethnicity of attending doctors is institutional racism
I agree that we must not tolerate racism in the NHS even when hidden in the guise of patient choice or clinical need. With up to 30% of NHS doctors of non-UK origin it is almost impossible not to be looked after by these doctors at some time and nor should such accommodation be considered.
Two to three years ago I was the consultant on evening duty in a busy, urban A&E department when I was informed by a junior, male Asian doctor that a female adult patient with mild chest pain was demanding to see a white doctor of either sex. I went with the junior doctor into the cubicle and asked why she was attending the department and informed her that the junior doctor was not only a good clinician but was the doctor assigned to her. She refused to be seen by him despite being advised that there would be no alternative offered and she chose to self discharge rather than be seen any further. I never heard any more about her. Interestingly the patient was herself an Asian!
Rapid Response:
Re: Allowing patients to choose the ethnicity of attending doctors is institutional racism
I agree that we must not tolerate racism in the NHS even when hidden in the guise of patient choice or clinical need. With up to 30% of NHS doctors of non-UK origin it is almost impossible not to be looked after by these doctors at some time and nor should such accommodation be considered.
Two to three years ago I was the consultant on evening duty in a busy, urban A&E department when I was informed by a junior, male Asian doctor that a female adult patient with mild chest pain was demanding to see a white doctor of either sex. I went with the junior doctor into the cubicle and asked why she was attending the department and informed her that the junior doctor was not only a good clinician but was the doctor assigned to her. She refused to be seen by him despite being advised that there would be no alternative offered and she chose to self discharge rather than be seen any further. I never heard any more about her. Interestingly the patient was herself an Asian!
Competing interests: No competing interests