Black History Month 2023: what is it like to be Black and British right now?

October is Black History Month (BHM). Before considering health, social care and nursing, it is just as important to reflect on the society within which these institutions exist and where people come from. I have often thought that nursing does not exist in a race-free vacuum. The socio-political constructs of society play an integral role in nursing and care delivery. So what is it like to be Black and British in the UK today?

The treatment of a young Black female gymnast in Ireland who was ignored because she is Black has been receiving widespread circulation and comment in the media. It is 2023 and it has been described only as ‘alleged racism’ (Hegarty, 2023). This is clear evidence of the continued practice of not calling racism what it is, and letting racism continue. How can anything change if racism cannot be named but only alluded to?