I am still not an angry black woman

Last year, I wrote an article for the 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 (taskforce), I'm armed with deeper insights and a renewed sense of purpose.

Our new report, Improving diversity in NHS communications and engagement, paints a stark picture, and frankly, it resonates deeply with my own experiences and those of many other ethnic minority 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 ethnic minority professionals still routinely face.

Informed by a survey of over 300 ethnic minority communications professionals, focus groups and one-to-one interviews with NHS executives and communications leaders, our research shows that ethnic minority communicators are passionate about the NHS, driven by a desire to make a real difference, and they have high career aspirations. Yet, they consistently face obstacles, and they are often not given the structured support they need to climb to the top of the profession.

A profession at risk of talent drain

A staggering 63% of ethnic minority communicators we surveyed are dissatisfied with the culture within the NHS, resulting in a large proportion of respondents (26%) 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 interested in having a communication team that reflects the communities they serve.

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 it surfaces are not confined to one 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. I am thriving – my experiences have not only strengthened my resolve but have also allowed 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 ethnic minority colleagues 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 ethnic minority leaders are undermined, backstabbed and sabotaged by those they manage; these actions are often ignored, excused, or even tacitly encouraged.

When we voice our concerns, we're often told "It has nothing to do with your race" or 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 programs, 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, chief executives, 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 seeing, provide our ethnic minority communications colleagues with a better experience of working in the NHS, and support more of them to climb to the top of the profession. We'll be tracking 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 ethnic minority colleagues are feeling vulnerable and fearful for their future within the NHS. We must protect our valuable ethnic minority 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 being told our experiences are "perceptions". Tired of being punished for our passion. Tired of seeing so many people 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.

This op-ed was first published by HSJ.