Partha Kar: MWRES five years on—an opportunity for antiracist action in the NHS

Looking at the state of the world, it seems fitting to say that we’re living through fractious times, and the UK is no exception. Far right marches and racist abuse and violence are surging once again.12 Growing disgruntlement about economic decline and changing living conditions has led to scapegoating and hatred towards anyone who doesn’t fit the mould. Dangerous anti-immigrant sentiment and false narratives are taking hold.Against this backdrop, the Medical Workforce Race Equality Standard (MWRES) Five Years On report comes at a pivotal moment.3 It would be naive to believe that NHS staff are immune to many prevalent views and narratives, and the report once again highlights concerns about discrimination and equality in the NHS and the medical workforce.The first MWRES report with data was published in 2021, followed by a plan in 2023 to tackle the problems raised.45 By the time the plan was published, however, NHS England…