Responding to the General Medical Council (GMC) annual report on tackling disadvantage and discrimination in the NHS workforce, Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive at NHS Providers said:

"Trust leaders have made some progress reducing the number of disproportionate fitness to practice referrals for ethnic minority and internationally trained staff in the last year, but there's still a long way to go.

"Improving equal opportunities and inclusive recruitment, as well as reducing the 'disciplinary gap', is a priority. No one should face an increased risk of unfair treatment and disciplinary action.

"The NHS is Britain's biggest employer of ethnic minorities, and trust leaders are working hard to stamp out racism at all levels and ensure all staff are treated with dignity and respect. 

"This includes efforts to embed equality, diversity, and inclusion – a practice shown to improve staff experience, which can boost recruitment and retention and so lead to better patient care and outcomes.

"Crucially, as underlined by last year's government-commissioned Messenger review, embedding equality diversity and inclusion (EDI) helps establish a culture where leaders feel equipped to deal with all forms of discrimination. We look forward to the implementation of its recommendations, as well as the publication of NHS England's EDI improvement plan."