Report finds evidence of racism towards sickle cell patients by health professionals
A landmark inquiry into sickle cell disease has found evidence of attitudes underpinned by racism in the NHS and serious failings in care.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) inquiry, led by Wolverhampton South East MP Pat McFadden, said substandard care for sickle cell patients had resulted in "tragic and avoidable deaths".
Its report said patients admitted to general wards and A&E departments with the disease were subjected to care that was below national standards, with low awareness among staff and inadequate training.
The report also pointed to frequent reports of negative attitudes towards sickle cell patients, saying a weight of the evidence suggests that such attitudes are often "underpinned by racism".
Sickle cell predominantly affects black people and patients shared examples of doctors and nurses being overtly racist towards them.
The No One’s Listening report was jointly published by the APPG on Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia and the Sickle Cell Society.
It was prompted by the death of Evan Smith in 2019, which highlighted serious failings in the care of people with sickle cell.
Mr McFadden, who got involved with the APPG through a local patient support group in Bilston, said the report showed there was a "big gulf" between care in specialist haematology departments and the experience of A&E departments and general wards.
"One of the key findings in the report was the lack of communication between these two areas when treating people with sickle cell, this, along with tragic and avoidable deaths, has caused a serious and damaging impact on the levels of trust in the health system among sickle cell patients," he said.
“In preparing this report we took extensive oral and written evidence from sickle cell patients, clinicians and others. The report calls for a comprehensive transformation in the care of people living with sickle cell.
"It also reflects the frustration that many of these arguments have been made for a long time without a proper response.
“I hope this report is taken seriously by the Department of Health and Social Care and by the NHS.
"This time, we want people to listen because the inequalities in health care highlighted in our report and the inconsistencies in treatment for people living with sickle cell have been going on for far too long."
John James, CEO of the Sickle Cell Society, said the report was an “urgent call to action” that should be a turning point that addresses failures of care.
