White health service professional workers have a sickening assumption of the superiority of white middle class cultural norms.
A group of GPS in Brent said with complete confidence and scientific detachment that 'the pain threshold for Asians is half that of Caucasians - they complain twice as much for half the reason.' In the NHS the mythology is that Afro-Caribbean women are feckless and irresponsible, while Asian women are compliant but stupid.
West Indians are dubbed as having no culture, the problems for Asians is their culture Either way, black people's diets, child rearing practices, family relationships, highly established medical systems, are seen as either inadequate or downright harmful.
Meanwhile the SUS law has helped create the stereotype of Afro-Caribbeans as reckless, irresponsible and criminal, while the immigration laws have encouraged white people to see Asians as law abiding perhaps, but only because they have no legitimate reason for being in Britain in the first place.
Photo: Victor Burgin Black people are the most exploited group of workers in Britain. They are forced to take the lowest paid jobs, and they are the first to lose them at a time of unemployment. Unable to afford the food they and their children need and living in substandard and over crowded housing, it would be surprising suffer worst health than white people.
The fice:
Be ven Jth, The But there is little consciousness in the NHS of the economic and political causes of poor health amongst black people.
Dr Sklar represents general practitioners in Brent. When asked if working conditions affect people's health he replied: 'Not really, you see in this counif black people in Britain did not try conditions of work have been modified not to cause ill health' migrants on health grounds.
wrist X-rays to ascertain age sensus on the validity of the method).
is found, African children is probably memorandum she bassed to the surgeon treating reaa as Jollows. ine avove namee presented a doctors' letter for a surgical outpatient appointnot happs treatter eligibility for contacied inererore the DHSS who in turn have obtained the following info mation from the Home Of 'Arrived U.K., 1974, was extensions for temporary stay until September was then told to return to Cyprus, appealed against aecton our aovear arsmissea and told to embark August 1979.
DHSS have alerted immigration authorities that sme is sal nere ane nave erver me authority to tell her that she can't be treated consider her rgenc r on a paying patient basis only.
Photo: Robert Golden The British Medical Association has been involved in a campaign for the screening and exclusion of imYoung Asian women coming to Britain as fiancees have been subjected to sexual examinations to establish their virginity: the BMA has now sanctioned the use of (although there is no medical conAnd all immigrants coming to Britain are now subjected to chest X-rays and are deported if active TB often separating women and children from their husbands.
The BMA's campaign has firmly established in the minds of people that black people cause disease.
the civil servant in charge of health services for ethnic minorities at the DHSS is able to say that 'deafness among Asian and associated with factors such as lack of hygiene, spitting, etc... Low income, bad housing and hazardous working conditions mean bad health. Black people face some of the worse housing and working conditions in Britain, as well as the constant stress of A report from Brent Community Health Coun cil challenges the view that black culture is to blame for black people's health.
Racism permeates every aspect of the NHS, from its recruitment policies to its assumption of the superiority of white diets, family systems, traditions of healing and approaches to child rearing; from mythologies about black 'pain thresholds' to eligibility for NHS treatment. low and hours were long.
least rewarding work. Wilson and Jeanette Mitchell. Black people first encountered the NHS, not as a service provider, but as an employer. Wages were Black nurses and doctors found themselves, like the ancillary workers, doing the hardest and In addition overseas nursing students are constantly reminded of the insecurity of their status as students because if they stop being a student they face deportation.
Many students pass the course only to find themselves deported. No reason need be given.
As one nurse said: The effect of racism is to isolate the overseas nurses, they are keeping a low profile, often don't complain and are sometimes even reluctant to join trade unions.' Health Service This excellent report, from which these extracts are taken, comes out of black people's experience in Brent. But it is not just about Brent. It is about policies and practices which are dominant throughout the health service in Britain. Copies from Brent CHC, Rear Block, 16 High St, London NW10. 50p a copy. Research by Amrit Socialist Challenge 18 June 1981
NUJ striker AT a demonstration in support of sacked strikers last week, there was clear evidence that workers in Pergamon-owned OUICI companies are ready to LIC fight Robert Maxwell, Pergamon's 'millionaire socialist' boss.
Maxwell held a lunch party to celebrate his takeover of BPC (British Printing Corporation). A DOUL unions turned out to picket and leaflet guests. Henry m Nimmo, Oxford's Mayor, refused an invitation to Diana Dors in the role of author, assorted BPC managers and loyal scabs, had no such scruples, but some, including Ms Dors, know that Maxwell defeats Pergamon troduce of the into BPC La joint •laim for whole company. If Oxford strikers' were pay and still worse existing BOUS cale in plan' for By Mark Findlay, Leeds NUR THE mood at the NUR Guards and Shunters conference on 15/16 May was for action against the Tories' unempoymen poncies.
A motion from the Three Bridges branch called for the union executive to threaten job loss in the in dustry, such as British Rail' closure of the Colccuol aid delivery barcels service bringing closure of marshalling yaras, mcluame une largest d siev ane mme curtaimen of passenger services with th hreat of line shutdowns an a guard - • and a Leeds City branch resolution condemned the steady erosion of guard's reponsibilities. Delegates union leadership on pay, jobs and ON Saturday 6 June a of socialist militants in the National Union of Railwaymen decided to set up Broad Left alliance to fight for militant socialist policies in the NUR A programme to defend railworkers atsteering commite elected. A adopted, and ma or oo ccuve will oe next vear s rues revision ference of the NUR. sharpness of the attacks on railworkers and the attempts
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TATIONAL BILL THREATENS Photo: Nick Oakes
Black People
BPC union support for Pergamon strikers
Rail- workers demand job fight
NUR Broad Left