BME staff are sick of being told lack of career progression is nothing to do with race

Last year, I wrote an article for HSJ entitled 'I Am Not "an Angry Black Woman", But I am Disheartened By the Lack of Diversity in NHS Comms'. Over a year later, I’m still not an angry black woman, but now, having led the Taskforce for Diversity in NHS Communications, I’m armed with deeper insights and a renewed sense of purpose.

Our new report Breaking Barriers: Improving Diversity in NHS Communications paints a stark picture, and frankly, it resonates deeply with my own experiences and those of many other black and minority ethnic (BME) professionals in the NHS.

We’ve made strides in acknowledging the need for greater diversity and inclusion, but the impact of these efforts is often undermined by the subtle, yet damaging, realities that many BME professionals still routinely face.

Informed by a survey of more than 300 BME communications professionals, focus groups and one-to-one interviews with NHS executives and communications leaders, our research reveals that BME communicators are passionate about the NHS, driven by a desire to make a real difference, and hold high career aspirations. Yet, they consistently face obstacles, and they are often not provided with the structured support they need to progress and thrive.

A profession at risk of talent drain

A staggering 63 per cent of BME communicators we surveyed are dissatisfied with the culture within the NHS, resulting in a large proportion of respondents (26 per cent) expecting to leave the NHS within three years, in pursuit of a better workplace culture and career opportunities. If nothing else, this talent drain should concern everyone committed to equality and having a communication team that reflects the communities they serve.

This report is not just about reiterating the problems; it is about offering solutions.

Nevertheless, this report is not just about reiterating the problems; it is about offering solutions. Published by the NHS Confederation, NHS Providers, and the Centre for Health Communication Research, we have developed practical and achievable recommendations across three key areas: access, experience, and outcomes. While the report focuses on NHS communications, the issues and solutions it highlights are not confined to one organisation or profession. They are systemic.

The irony isn’t lost on me that the very person who led the taskforce to address these issues and improve diversity in the NHS, one of the few Black directors of communications, has now left the NHS… However, I am thriving – my experiences have not only strengthened my resolve but have also enabled me to grow, lead with authenticity and inspire others to claim their space in this profession.

The pattern is the problem

We’ve heard from countless colleagues of colour who have experienced the same patterns: being disproportionately affected by organisational changes and restructuring, more likely to face disciplinary action, undermined, overlooked, and often labelled as 'aggressive', 'intimidating', or 'difficult'. They are perceived as a bully or someone to be feared, for no other reason than unconscious bias. This stereotype is especially harmful because it is frequently used to justify discriminatory behaviour, hiding prejudice behind a guise of supposedly objective observation.

One of the most insidious forms of racism in the workplace, something that is not talked about enough, is upward bullying, where BME leaders are undermined, backstabbed, and sabotaged by those they manage; these actions are often ignored, excused, or even tacitly encouraged.

This gaslighting is not only dismissive, it seeks to invalidate our perspectives and lived experiences.

When we voice our concerns, we’re often told “it has nothing to do with your race” or are accused of “playing the race card”. This gaslighting is not only dismissive, it seeks to invalidate our perspectives and lived experiences. Organisations often hide behind HR professionals, claiming that all processes are fair and unbiased. But when HR professionals themselves lack diversity or cultural competence and fail to challenge discriminatory practices – or worse, enable them – they become complicit. 

A call to action: We need more than allyship

Our report is a call to action. From inclusive recruitment strategies and targeted outreach to cultural competency training, dedicated apprenticeship programmes, mentoring schemes, and mid-career leadership interventions, the suggestions are practical and vital. However, recommendations alone are not enough.

It’s time for the NHS to move beyond superficial efforts and commit to genuine, systemic change. Change requires accountability, transparency, and action at every level; communications leaders, CEOs, chief people officers, and leaders at NHS England must take ownership of these recommendations.

That’s why we have published a charter alongside the report. It asks communications leaders and wider NHS executives to commit to action in key areas to ensure we slow the talent drain we are facing, provide our BME communications colleagues with a better experience working in the NHS, and support more of them to reach the top of the profession. We will be monitoring our collective progress in this endeavour.

This agenda is more important than ever given the impending wave of NHS cuts and restructuring which threatens to exacerbate the lack of diversity in the profession. My BME colleagues are feeling vulnerable and fearful for their future within the NHS. We must protect our valuable BME staff and ensure that we do not regress in our diversity efforts.

I am not an angry black woman. But I am tired. Tired of having the same conversation. Tired of being told our experiences are 'perceptions'. Tired of seeing so many minority ethnics not reaching their full potential. But despite it all, we are still here. We are still showing up, still adding value, and still pushing for change.

Edna Boampong is director of communications and engagement at Liverpool City Council and chair of the Taskforce on Diversity in NHS Communications.