Watchdog to probe racism claims

A GOVERNMENT watchdog on racism is to investigate concerns of discrimination in the appointment of consultant doctors.

The National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI) said it would be looking into the matter as part of their next strategy, to be published in September.

"Racism is often much more subtle than racist abuse or attack. For instance, one issue that should be looked at is that 50% of non-consultant doctors are non-EU citizens, yet only 2% of consultants are," said Philip Watt of NCCRI.

"Now there may be a variety of reasons for that being the case, but one of the reasons why, if you had a figure like that, is that there may be some form of discrimination going on."

"It's certainly is something we're looking at. It requires a good bit of research and it's something that needs to be measured over a course of time."

He recognised that a regulation limiting non-EU doctors to a maximum seven-year stay in Ireland was a factor, but noted that this had been extended recently.

Also in relation to hospitals, he said the NCCRI was drawing up guidelines on how hospitals should deal with an increasingly cross-cultural workforce as well as greater numbers of patients from different ethnic and religious backgrounds.

"We're proposing to set up a code of practice for hospitals on how to deal with diversity in the workplace," said Mr Watt.

He said a very high percentage of nurses in Dublin hospitals were non-EU, mainly from the Philippines.

"There are huge cultural sensitivities. You can not reprimand people in front of patients, particularly from these countries. Filipinos find it particularly humiliating.

"Also hospitals need to ensure different religions, such as Islam, are respected and that hospitals have somewhere for these people to pray." He said the NCCRI will also investigate areas such as the provision of health services and the rights of migrant workers under its next strategic plan.

Mr Watt said some ethnic communities were not receiving equal health services.

"One form of discrimination is that if you treat everyone the same, that can amount to a form of discrimination, because if someone's needs are much greater than another's, if extra resources aren't put in place that amounts to a form of discrimination."

Mr Watt also slammed the way some campaigners against the Nice referendum had claimed that the country would be flooded with migrant workers from Eastern Europe.

"I would object to that kind of argument used in a very xenophobic way. Migrant workers are essential to our future economic progress."