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Health Chiefs Say St George’s Flags Are Creating ‘No‑Go Zones’ for NHS Community Staff

An NHS Providers survey reports broad anxiety over discrimination, prompting unions to call for stronger protection of workers on home visits.

Overview

  • NHS trust leaders report Black and Asian staff feel deliberately intimidated in areas with widespread St George’s flags, especially during lone home visits.
  • An NHS Providers survey found 45% of senior managers extremely concerned and 33% moderately concerned about discrimination from patients and the public.
  • Leaders cited incidents including a staff member being filmed, followed and abused for days after asking people putting up flags to move so she could park.
  • The Department of Health and Social Care condemned intimidation and urged that threats or aggression toward staff or their families be reported to police.
  • The Royal College of Nursing linked rising racism to anti‑migrant rhetoric and warned community workers feel vulnerable, as NHS Providers also warned a five‑day junior doctors’ strike starting Friday could set back recovery.