NHS trust in London accused of being ‘colonial’ for guidelines telling staff to speak ENGLISH –

An NHS trust had to defend itself today after telling staff to speak English on the wards after protesting the guidelines.

The Homerton University Hospital Foundation Trust in London says staff should not speak another language in front of patients and colleagues.

The guide was first published on its website in 2019, but it started gaining ground among practitioners on social media yesterday.

Commentators said it was “horribly worded”, calling it “total nonsense” and “a colossal colonial approach”.

In response to the comment, a spokesperson for the Hackney-based foundation said it was working with staff and patients to review the values.

But they did confirm that the organization’s 4,500 employees in the UK are expected to speak English at the hospital.

The document titled “Living Our Values” was prepared in January 2014 and republished on the website in April 2019. The “Personal commitment” section states that “I will only communicate in English around others”.

NHS England National Adviser on Racial Equality in the Labor Market, Professor Partha Kar, tweeted a photo of a sign stating that English should only be spoken in hospital wards and kitchens and that “staff who do not follow up will be subject to disciplinary action”. ‘hold’ rules (photo). However, Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said they had examined the poster and “found no evidence of it being on or ever found on our property”.

The spokesperson said: “We ask staff to communicate in English in front of others.

“This is to make sure we are all inclusive and in many cases provide security and clarity.

“Our commitment is part of respecting our fellow colleagues and patients by including them in conversations that take place in the workplace.”

The trust document titled “Living Our Values” was prepared in January 2014 and republished on the website in April 2019.

In the “Personal engagement” section it says “I only communicate in English in front of others”.

It is one of more than 50 commitments to “promote inclusion and respect”, including helping and supporting colleagues, treating others as they expect to be treated, and taking a nonjudgmental approach.

NHS England’s National Adviser on Racial Equality, Professor Partha Kar, said doctors do not need to speak English or be disciplined to communicate in another language.

He tweeted that he was unaware of “anything dictated by NHS England” and suggested that staff “only need to speak English to keep NHS values ​​high”.

He said it was “totally ridiculous” to say you can’t speak a certain language at work or that it “damages values”.

Professor Kar also tweeted a photo of a banner stating that only English should be spoken in hospital wards and kitchens and that “disciplinary action will be taken against personnel who do not comply with the rules.”

But the Homerton University Hospital Foundation Foundation said “there is no evidence that it is or has been found on our property.”

Professor Tom Marshall, a public health and primary care expert at the University of Birmingham, said counseling “could be illegal” “unless there are good reasons”.

And Twitter user Dr. Ruby said it was “a great colonial approach to telling people to speak only English.”