When we talk about race, we mean a person’s colour, nationality (including citizenship), or their ethnic or national origins.
Race also covers ethnic and racial groups. This means a group of people who all share the same protected characteristic of ethnicity or race. A racial group can be made up of two or more distinct racial groups, for example black Britons, British Asians, British Sikhs, British Jews, Romany Gypsies and Scottish Gypsy Travellers.
People’s experiences of discrimination
People are sometimes treated unfairly because of something to do with the colour of their skin, their nationality or their ethnicity. This is racism or race discrimination.
Examples of racism and race discrimination may include:
- Not providing culturally appropriate information relating to different aspects of health and care, including language, diet, or physical activity
- People refusing care and treatment from staff from different ethnic backgrounds.
- Making fun of someone’s accent and making comments and jokes about their nationality.
- Using racialised opinions and racist terms to describe people from a particular ethnic background.
NHS East of England’s video shares staff’s experience of racism at work.
Institutional racism is “the collective failure of an organisation to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture, or ethnic origin…. in processes, attitudes and behaviour.” “Unwitting racism can arise because of a lack of understanding, ignorance or mistaken beliefs. It can arise from well intentioned but patronising words or actions. It can arise from unfamiliarity with the behaviour or cultural traditions of people or families from minority ethnic communities. It can arise from racist stereotyping of black people as potential criminals or troublemakers.” These definitions are taken from the McPherson Inquiry into the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993.
The BBC created a short film about the murder and inquiry. The film contains strong language and violent and upsetting scenes.
