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HAVING LIVED in the UK and worked in the NHS for 30 years, I have witnessed many changes, in society, politics and the NHS itself. I can remember when, in 1977, questioning a ward sister's authority was unheard of and, if we nursing students happened to be seated when a nursing officer came onto the ward, we had to stand.
Surprisingly and a little worryingly however, although the UK has become more culturally and ethnically diverse over the past three decades, with more than 9 per cent of the population now hailing from black and minority ethnic (BME) backgrounds, the number of senior BME people in positions of power and influence in the NHS has remained incredibly low.
When I started my career, I didn't question the fact that there were so few BMK managers in positions of influence. I knew that senior administrators in the hospital where I worked were all white, middle class and male, but 1 assumed...