Diane Abbott: ‘Racism has no place in our digital health systems’

“Racism has no place in any part of our society, including in our digital health systems,” said Diane Abbott, Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, in a statement read at the Equity Charter Summit.

The event at the King’s Fund in London on 23 July 2024, was to discuss the creation of a charter condemning discrimination in the digital health sector.

Ayesha Rahim, a ‘portfolio psychiatrist’ in the NHS, read a statement from Abbott encouraging attendees to take action to help ensure equitable access to healthcare.

Racist and misogynistic comments about Abbott, made in March 2024, by Frank Hestor, chief executive of health software firm TPP, were the catalyst for proposals to develop the Equity Charter.

“The potential for pervasive discrimination within these platforms, products and within the organisations we produce them not only undermines trust, but also denies individuals the equitable care that they deserve,” the statement from Abbott said.

“Any healthcare related industry has a particular responsibility to consider its impact on people and we must hold it to the highest standards of equity and justice.

“The Equity Charter is paving the way for a more just and humane digital health landscape.

“This is everybody’s job to tackle and we must all play our part in dismantling systemic racism and ensuring equitable access to healthcare,” it said.

During the event, healthcare leaders and other stakeholders discussed ideas about how to create a more equitable digital health sector and what the Equity Charter should include.

The next steps will be for the organisers to synthesise the output from the event and form an advisory group before drafting a charter.

There have been more than 1,000 signatories so far to an open letter pledging commitment to develop the Equity Charter.

You can read the full letter and become a signatory here.