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What is racism?

Racism is the unfair treatment of someone because of their race, or the race of someone they are connected with.

What is race?

This includes skin colour, ethnicity, nationality and citizenship.

What can racism look like?

This can take many forms: direct, indirect and harassment.

Direct

This is when someone else, of a different race, would be or is treated more favourably than you.

Example: A patient telling a doctor on the ward ‘I don’t want one of you to treat me’ to a doctor of a non-white ethnicity.

Direct racism can come from patients and colleagues alike.

Indirect

This is when the rules and policies of an institution discriminate against different racial groups.

Example: Complaints of racism are dismissed or not dealt with if raised within your department.

Harassment

This is when racist behaviour becomes threatening and aggressive, whether verbally or physically.

Example: Being called derogatory names and slurs that are typically used to insult a race.

Incidents of racism against you may be isolated, or may involve other parts of your identity being targeted.

Resources

Resources to report a hate crime, providing more information on support if you are a victim, or how to support someone you know: