Dear Editor
The description of subjective experiences of racism highlights the issue of patient behaviours when international medical graduates work in the NHS. Most current equality and diversity training for health workers focusses on internal team and organisational policies and procedures, awareness and responsibilities. Active bystander training is relevant and helpful but requires a level of assertiveness and confidence that many workers find challenging including for doctors who are expected to develop a positive relationship with patients. Rather than limiting its activism to organisational policies and individual reporting, whistle blowing and audit it might be a practical measure to take a lead from the Changing Faces approach to valuing visible difference.
The practical self efficacy guidance including suggested responses to unwanted comments or other responses from strangers has supported the self care of many individuals of all ages and could apply to skin colour as much as to any other visible difference. The approach could at least address the inadvertent hurt caused by ignorant and outdated language while maintaining the need for further action where that is indicated.
https://www.changingfaces.org.uk/advice-guidance/coping-with-peoples-rea…
Re: Foreign NHS doctors face persistent racism at work, survey finds