Senior leaders at York and Scarborough’s hospitals need to take responsibility for a “significant improvement” in the work experiences and career progression of BME staff, according to a report.

There was a deterioration in several key measures of racial equality across the workforce last year, Virginia Golding, head of equality, diversity and inclusion at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, told a board meeting.

Nearly 30 per cent of BME (black and minority ethnic) staff experienced harassment, bullying or abuse from patients, relatives or the public last year, while more than 20 per cent experienced discrimination from managers or team leaders – compared to just six per cent of white staff.

Chief nurse Heather McNair said there was work to do on staff being abused by members of the public, with nurses at Scarborough Hospital being particularly affected.

Staff survey results also show a consistent deterioration in the percentage of BME staff believing that the trust provides equal opportunities for career progression or promotion – with just over 40 per cent believing this was the case.

Ms Golding said an action plan drawn up last year to make “meaningful change” still needed to be put in place. There are more than 1,100 BME staff at the trust – 12.5 per cent of the total workforce.

She added: “Our colleagues are busy and it’s really positive that they are coming to me and saying ‘we’ve got this issue, how do we deal with it?’

“What we need to do is make more rapid progress.”

Without action, her report said, the trust would take a hit financially and the experiences of BME colleagues “may impact on patient care”.

Negative outcomes will also affect the Care Quality Commission’s ‘well-led’ review of the trust, which is due to take place rt the end of the month.

Ms Golding said part of the issue for international nurses in particular was preparing staff for the differences in culture in nursing and more generally when different nationalities come together.

Developing a buddy system so new staff get to know someone from a similar background would help people feeling isolated, Ms Golding said.

“We also need to listen and understand one another – put yourself in another person’s shoes,” she added.

Ms Golding also presented a report with a more positive picture about disability equality across the trust.

Trust chair Alan Downey said: “It’s heartening to hear that we’re making good progress on WDES (workforce disability equality standard, obviously not happy to hear we’ve a long way to go on WRES (workforce race equality standard).”

Senior hospital leaders ‘must take responsibility for improving BME staff experience’ at York and Scarborough’s hospitals