Pat Cullen: Health service will collapse without vital international staff

Thousands of hardworking international medical, nursing and healthcare professionals have dedicated their lives to our health and wellbeing.

Often this has included putting their lives on the line, and no better example of this is during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Our brave health and social care staff work tirelessly to provide safe critical care in our hospitals and community settings.

Racist violence against minority communities in recent days is absolutely disgraceful and shameful. Racism has no place in our society - it is completely unacceptable.

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The hatred, racism, intimidation and violence on display in recent days has been absolutely shocking.

As a nurse, I am heartbroken at the prospect of our brilliant, internationally educated nursing colleagues even considering leaving here. Nursing and healthcare professionals of every nationality and ethnic origin are holding our health and care services together.

They are the backbone of our health and social care system, but they are also valued members of our communities.

They are our neighbours, our friends and our families, and their safety and protection must be a top priority.

All of us are focused on building a progressive, forward-looking and welcoming society, and making the place that I know and love the best place for people to call home.

I’ve worked alongside many healthcare staff of all ethnicities and backgrounds over the last four decades.

To now witness these same people feeling they have no other option but to leave is disgraceful and wrong.

Without our vital international healthcare staff, the health service will collapse. Services would not be able to continue as normal.

Already our health and social care system is stretched by the lack of medical and nursing staff. This would reduce our ability to effectively care for and look after the public.

The racist thuggery and criminality which we have witnessed for many days now cannot go unchallenged.

There is a duty on all political and community leaders to do just that - step up and step out to provide strong leadership for all the people we represent.

Be it in the workplace, in our communities or anywhere else, racism and hate must not go unchallenged.

I commend those who have stood tall, called out the outright racism and challenged those involved.

Racism and discrimination is a stain on our society and something which must be dealt with head-on, and eradicated.

To our health workers who may be considering leaving, let me say this - you are appreciated, you are welcome, you are a vital part of our community and I stand with you.

Shoulder-to-shoulder, in solidarity, in support of you and against these racist thugs.

We must stand as one, united together and facing down those intent on havoc and destruction of our minority communities.

There is absolutely no excuse or justification for any of the behaviour we have seen on our streets.

It is wrong, it is racist and it must stop now.

To those intent on racist violence and intimidation, there must be a robust response. They should be brought before the courts and face the full force of the law.

Despite recent events, the north is a proudly diverse and inclusive society.

As a nurse and a political representative, I will continue to do everything in my power to stand with our minority communities.

Racism and hate cannot and will not win.

Together we will face these thugs down and stand united against racism.