People who are racist to NHS staff 'can and should' be turned away, says Health Secretary Wes Streeting

7 August 2024, 06:09

People who are racist to NHS staff 'can and should' be turned away, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said.

The government "will not tolerate" continued violence across the country in the aftermath of the Southport stabbings, Mr Streeting said.

He hit out at the "mindless thuggery" seen on streets over the past week, adding that the people who attacked two Filipino nurses in Sunderland had "brought enormous shame on our country".

The nurses were attacked on Friday evening as they travelled to work to provide emergency cover during the unrest. The taxi they were travelling in was pelted with rocks.

Despite not being physically harmed, they were left "terrified" by the ordeal.

Read more: First person charged with ‘stirring up racial hatred’ over Facebook posts during riots

Read more: Starmer reassures communities they 'will be safe' following emergency Cobra meeting as 30 more far-Right rallies planned

Speaking during a visit to the Leeds Cancer Centre, Mr Streeting said the NHS had a "zero tolerance" approach to racism.

"The government will not tolerate the continuation of this mindless thuggery by far-right agitators in our country," he said.

"I was appalled by reports of violence directed towards Filipino nurses in Sunderland - these were nurses going into work to provide emergency care and their attackers bring shame on our flag and shame on our country."

He added: "I will not tolerate, under any circumstances, NHS or social care staff in any health or care setting being subjected to intimidation, harassment or racist abuse.

"We have a zero tolerance policy in the NHS and we'll take a zero tolerance approach in social care too.

"People who are abusing NHS staff can be turned away, and should be turned away, if that is the way that they are treating our staff."

The Health Secretary continued: "I think the overwhelming majority of people in our country are utterly disgusted and appalled by the racism and violence on display.

"I think we are lucky to have people in our NHS and social care sectors who come from around the world to provide great, compassionate care.

"I am proud that we have those people in Britain. I think the vast majority of Brits are too.

"And those people that have hijacked our flag for their mindless, racist thuggery - they have no idea about this country's history or heritage, and they have brought enormous shame on our country by attacking NHS staff in this way."

It comes as the PM has reassured communities that "they will be safe" following an emergency Cobra meeting over the escalating violence.

He called a second meeting on Tuesday evening after police identified 30 new far-right rallies threatening to take place on Wednesday.

"They will be safe. We're doing everything we can to ensure that where a police response is needed, it's in place, where support is needed for particular places, that that is in place," Sir Keir said.

"Obviously it's a difficult situation with disorder going on in a number of different places at the same time, but that is precisely why I held my second Cobra meeting today to co-ordinate the response and to get the assurance that I want and need, that we do have adequate police in place, that we are able to cope with this disorder.

"But the message has to go to those that are involving themselves in this disorder, which is 'you're wrong, you shouldn't be doing it, you will feel the full force of the law', as I hope we're demonstrating with these swift prosecutions."