The health sector must implement training initiatives for all staff if it is to avoid racial discrimination, health representatives were told today.
Addressing a seminar on cultural diversity, Mr P.J. Boyle of the health-screening unit in Parnell Square said: "We need to put in place cultural awareness training and anti-racism training for all staff in hospitals to ensure that non-national staff are not cold-shouldered or discriminated against."
Over 150 representatives from hospitals, nursing organisations, refugee groups and the Traveller community gathered for the seminar, organised by the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism (NCCRI) and the Irish Health Services Management Institute.
The seminar was told the trend of hiring foreign nationals is likely to continue despite any economic downturn in the economy.
Over 1000 work permits were issued to Philippine nurses last year, while an increasing number of Eastern Europeans are being hired for auxiliary work such as security and cleaning jobs.
Spokesman for the NCCRI, Mr Philip Watt, said one problem is that there is no exact figure on the number of people from minority ethnic backgrounds working in the healthcare sector.
He said about one third of doctors are from a minority ethnic background but only 2 per cent of these are consultants, raising "glass ceiling" issues.
Dr Philip O’Connell, a general practitioner working in Dublin, said the extra demands being placed on the sector from the rising numbers of people from minority ethnic backgrounds should not be exaggerated.
He said the incidence of TB, Hepatitis or HIV among these communities is only marginally more than the indigenous Irish population.
"However, there are issues in relation to the need to improve translation services and ensue that there are orientation programmes for non-nationals to explain about Ireland and its health services as there are a number of misconceptions," he said.