RCN wins landmark case: chief nurse reinstated after racism concerns ignored

The RCN has successfully secured the reinstatement of Chief Nursing Officer Evonne Hunt at Medway NHS Foundation Trust, following a two-year process that exposed serious organisational failings around race discrimination.

Evonne first raised concerns in 2022 about patient safety, racism, the leadership culture and equity within the trust.

Instead of addressing these issues, the trust suspended her, stating that allegations were made against her. Following intervention by the RCN, Evonne was seconded to other NHS organisations while the investigation into the concerns she had raised, and those raised against her, took place.

The investigation concluded there was no case to answer against Evonne and highlighted systemic failures, including the trust’s failure to investigate race discrimination concerns and inequitable treatment.

Now, the trust has issued a formal apology and confirmed Evonne’s return to her role as chief nursing officer and board member. She’s returned to the trust where there’s a new leadership team in place and says she’s feeling incredibly supported and happy to be back.

RCN South East Regional Director Ellen McNicholas, who represented Evonne throughout, said: “The allegations against Evonne, which were not upheld, seriously deflected from the concerns she had raised months previously. That a Black woman should raise serious concerns and be dismissed out of hand, while allegations against her were dealt with so harshly, screams of the poor culture and working practices of the trust at the time.”

Evonne said: "All I've ever wanted is to do my job as chief nurse and do it well. This took a real personal toll on me. I now want to focus on my job and I’m excited to be back at the trust working with a values-based leadership team. Nursing staff that are facing racist abuse and discrimination should be properly supported by their leaders.

“The support I received from the RCN was incredible. I leaned heavily on them in times where I felt overwhelmed, and they always remained understanding, compassionate, kind and professional.

“I’d encourage others to speak up and report issues where they see them. I’m so pleased I did and that the RCN supported me the whole way.”

This case highlights the power of speaking up and having strong representation. We will always support members who challenge discrimination and toxic workplace culture. It follows another landmark 2023 victory, when Michelle Cox successfully won her harassment and discrimination case against her employer with the RCN’s help.

Evonne’s return comes after a major RCN intervention in late October, which revealed a surge in calls to our advice line from members reporting racist abuse. We called for urgent action demanding employers prioritise tackling racism, and warning politicians to end their use of anti-migrant rhetoric.

If you experience racism, bullying or discrimination at work, reach out to us via RCN advice, or speak to your local RCN representative for guidance on raising concerns safely.

We are committed to supporting members and employers across health and social care. Our anti-racism work includes supporting members, influencing policy, and challenging systemic inequalities.