Responding to the NMC's latest report, RCN Diversity and Equalities Co-ordinator, Bruno Daniel, said:
"The NMC has recognised discrimination in its own processes and we are glad that action is being promised, which we hope to see the impact of sooner rather than later.
"Referrals can cause deep distress amongst our members and this report reflects what they have been telling us. The NMC must continue to work with individual employers to ensure staff are not inappropriately referred and fair treatment is ensured during all stages of the process.
"The pandemic has shone a spotlight on structural racism in health and care services. We know from our own employment survey that structural racism is having a devastating impact on minority ethnic staff. Training alone will not resolve this, we need to see systemic change.
"It is time to see improvements. Nursing staff deserve to see change and for wider systemic discrimination in both nursing and midwifery to be a thing of the past. At a time when there are tens of thousands of nursing vacancies across health and care we need to ensure every single member of staff feels valued and is confident that they are working in a safe environment."
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