Inequalities in NHS Staff Support among those from Ethnic Minority and Migrant groups during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objectives

During the COVID-19 pandemic, NHS staff support services aimed to support healthcare workers’ (HCWs) wellbeing, alongside informal support from colleagues and managers. However, bullying, harassment, and discrimination against HCWs from ethnic minority and migrant groups, along with low wellbeing support uptake, suggest disparities in workplace support. This study aimed to address the following research questions: 1) How does support programme use vary by ethnicity and migration status? 2) How does the perception of support from managers and colleagues vary by ethnicity and migration status?

Methods

This study analysed NHS CHECK survey data which examined the mental health and occupational outcomes (including support use) of HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic across 18 Trusts in England. Data from 9,769 participants who completed the baseline survey (launched April 2020) and the six-month follow-up was analysed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression.

Results

HCWs from White Other (AOR 0.79; CI 0.64-0.99) and Asian ethnic groups (AOR 0.65; CI 0.57-0.74) were less likely to feel supported by their colleagues than White British HCWs. Similarly, those born outside of the UK and EU were less likely to feel supported by their colleagues than UK-born HCWs (AOR 0.70; CI 0.52-0.94). No variations in support programme use or support from managers were found across ethnicity or migration status.

Conclusions

The study suggests equitable formal support but identified critical disparities in perceived collegial support for HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Improving workplace wellbeing should address the underlying social and structural factors that influence peer support and belonging.

• What is already known on this topic – Healthcare workers (HCWs) in the UK from ethnic minority and migrant groups are more likely than White British HCWs to experience abuse and discrimination from other staff. Therefore, they may be less likely to use workplace support, and feel less supported by their colleagues or manager. However, this has not been examined.

• What this study adds – The study indicates that formal support mechanisms for HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic were generally equitable. However, it highlights significant disparities in perceived collegial support, with HCWs from some ethnic minority groups and HCWs born outside of the UK reporting lower levels of peer support compared to White British HCWs.

• How this study might affect research, practice or policy – These findings suggest that while structured support systems may be in place, the day-to-day experiences of workplace camaraderie and informal support vary considerably, underscoring the need for targeted interventions to foster a more inclusive and supportive work environment.