There Ain’t No Black on the Union Jack 🇬🇧

“If you want to know the truth about the flag, ask the people who don’t feel safe under it.”

When a Flag Becomes a Warning: Why Black Nurses Are Feeling Unsafe in the Communities They Serve

By Neomi Bennett, Founder of Equality 4 Black Nurses

I recently spoke with LBC’s Ben Kentish about a topic that has left the nation divided: the fear and unease some NHS staff feel when they see streets covered in St George’s flags or Union Jacks. For many people, these flags represent pride, unity, and belonging. But for others, especially Black and Brown nurses who work alone in people’s homes, they can send a very different message. Let me be clear: this isn’t about the flag itself. It’s about how it has been used and weaponised.

When you are a Black nurse walking alone into a stranger’s home, or driving through an estate where every window is suddenly draped with the same flag, you don’t just see red and white fabric. You see history. You remember the times that flag was waved by groups shouting “go home.” You remember the faces that told you, “I don’t want a foreign nurse.” You remember the fear of school days when the same symbols were used to mark you as different.

That fear doesn’t vanish when you grow up; it just gets buried under professionalism. But when those same images appear again in concentrated clusters, it comes rushing back. It’s not abstract. It’s lived.

The Reality for Black and Brown Nurses

At Equality 4 Black Nurses, we hear these stories every week. Nurses being called names. Patients refusing care from the “Black nurse.” Colleagues making racist remarks and facing no real consequence. Managers using policies and procedures as tools to discipline and control rather than protect.

And when racism does occur, there is almost never accountability. If a patient racially abuses a nurse, the nurse is simply moved. If a colleague does it, they are sent on mediation or quietly relocated. The abuser stays in the system; the victim carries the trauma.

This is why the flags issue has resonated so deeply. It’s not about patriotism. It’s about power, safety, and belonging. When national symbols are used in a way that makes sections of the workforce feel unwelcome, that’s not pride; that’s intimidation.

A Growing Crisis of Safety and Trust

The NHS has published countless frameworks on equality and inclusion, yet the reality remains bleak. A 2024 survey found that 71% of UK-trained Black and minority ethnic staff reported discrimination, and only 5% said their issue was handled satisfactorily.

That’s not progress. That’s denial.

Our members tell us, “I love my job. I love my patients. But I don’t feel safe anymore.” And when nurses start feeling unsafe to work, that’s not just a race issue—it’s a national emergency.

What Needs to Happen Next

If the NHS is serious about tackling racism, it needs more than posters and statements. It needs action and accountability.

We are calling for:

• Racial risk assessments for lone-working nurses.

• Zero-tolerance enforcement when patients or staff are racist - no more mediation or quiet transfers.

• Independent oversight of discrimination complaints, to stop managers protecting each other.

• Data transparency on disciplinary and regulatory referrals by ethnicity.

• Support services for nurses facing racial trauma at work.

Black and Brown nurses are holding up the NHS under immense strain. They deserve to walk into any community, any home, any ward, without fear.

Until that happens, we must keep telling the truth, even when it makes people uncomfortable.

⚠️ If You’ve Been Affected by Racism or Feel Unsafe at Work

Equality 4 Black Nurses (E4BN) provides confidential support for nurses and healthcare professionals facing racism, discrimination, or workplace hostility.

If this article has brought up difficult feelings or reminded you of your own experiences, you are not alone. Our team can help you document incidents, access trauma-informed support, and understand your rights.

📩 Contact us: matron@equality4blacknurses.com 🌐 Visit: www.equality4blacknurses.com🖤

E4BN – Protecting, supporting, and empowering Black nurses.