UK nurses accused of 'institutional racism' after reports of a Sikh man being mistreated emerge

In an incident that has been described as "institutional racism" within the UK's healthcare system, nurses are accused of subjecting a Sikh patient to degrading and prejudiced treatment. The healthcare professionals allegedly used plastic gloves to tie the patient's beard and failed to attend to his basic needs, leading to a distressing situation where he was left in his own urine, and offered him food that directly contravened his religious dietary requirements, reported PTI. 

The victim, an unnamed Sikh patient, documented his ordeal and complaints in a note he left on his deathbed. Despite the explicit and harrowing grievances detailed in this note, the nurses responsible faced no immediate repercussions and continued to work without interruption. The Independent newspaper brought this deeply disconcerting incident to public attention by citing a confidential dossier leaked from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the UK's nursing regulatory body. This dossier outlines a disturbing pattern of alleged racism involving nursing staff, both towards their colleagues and patients.

In response to these grave allegations, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has launched an investigation to unearth the extent of discrimination that may be entrenched within the healthcare system.

The investigation's aim was to uncover the truth about these deeply troubling claims and take necessary measures to rectify this pressing issue.

A whistleblower from within the NMC has emerged, asserting that the regulatory body has neglected to address "institutional racism" within its ranks for a staggering 15 years.

This longstanding failure, according to the whistleblower, has enabled unchecked behaviour among NMC personnel, fostering an environment of discrimination and bias.

Furthermore, the whistleblower alleges that the NMC staff has been applying guidelines inconsistently, often influenced by their own discriminatory beliefs.

The shocking revelations have sparked urgent calls for comprehensive reforms within the Nursing and Midwifery Council. The whistleblower is urging the NMC to confront and rectify the alleged racial bias in its handling of conduct cases involving Black and ethnic minority nurses and patients. These calls for action come on the heels of "alarming" reports of racism within the NMC that date back to 2008.