The partner of a nurse who set himself on fire outside Kensington Palace has staged a protest on the steps of Downing Street to demand an independent inquiry into the treatment of BAME staff within the NHS.
Amin Abdullah, 41, an award-winning NHS nurse, took his own life in 2016 after being dismissed from his job at Charing Cross Hospital and suffering a mental breakdown because of his treatment.
On the seventh anniversary of his death, Mr Abdullah’s partner Terry Skitmore went to Downing Street to call for a broad inquiry into the way ethnic minority staff are treated within the NHS.
The petition, which is aiming for 100,000 signatures to force a debate in Parliament, reads: “We would like the Government to commission an independent inquiry into injustices which have been suffered by BME NHS staff, to see what lessons can be learned so that such injustices do not happen again in the future, and to provide support and compassion to those who have suffered.
“There are widespread concerns about injustices experienced by BME NHS staff, with suffering also impacting the families of those who have suffered.
“An independent inquiry is needed to identify flawed procedures and review safeguards in NHS systems, so these can be rectified. Unfairness in the workplace results in low morale and staffing issues, which will inevitably also then have an impact on patient care.
“Unfairness also can take up valuable NHS resources. All of this needs to be investigated.”
According to the Office for National Statistics, nurses are four times more likely to take their own lives than people in other professions and the figures are even higher amongst BAME staff.
An independent investigation into Mr Abdullah’s death found he had been “treated unfairly” after supporting a colleague who was facing a patient complaint.
Evidence was not put before a misconduct panel prior to his sacking, and following the investigation findings Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust chief executive Professor Tim Orchard said: “It is now clear that we let Amin down and, for that, I am truly sorry.”
Mr Abdullah slipped into a depression after he was fired in December 2015, he received hospital treatment, and doused himself in petrol and set himself alight outside the Royal Palace when he was released to collect some fresh clothes.
He died from his injuries, two days before his appeal against his dismissal was due to be heard.
Mr Skitmore was joined by NHS justice campaigner Dr Narinder Kapur and the chair of the British Indian Nurses Association, Marimouttou Coumarassamy on today’s visit to Downing Street.
The petition has been launched on the Parliamentary website here.
