Celebrating Black History Month: The Legacy of Black Nurses and Carers in the UK
Each October, Black History Month gives us the opportunity to celebrate the individuals whose contributions have shaped the systems and communities we depend on today. Nowhere is that legacy more visible than in the UK’s healthcare system. For decades, Black nurses, carers, and healthcare professionals have been at the heart of the NHS and the wider care sector. They have shown extraordinary resilience, compassion, and innovation qualities that continue to drive progress and inspire new generations of healthcare workers. This article highlights key milestones and individuals whose impact continues to influence British healthcare. From early pioneers such as Mary Seacole to modern leaders like Dame Elizabeth Anionwu and Dame Donna Kinnair, their stories demonstrate how representation, courage, and leadership shape the future of care.
The Windrush Generation: Building the NHS
After the Second World War, Britain faced an acute shortage of healthcare staff. The newly formed National Health Service, founded in 1948, needed nurses and carers to meet the growing demand for public health services. Thousands of men and women from the Caribbean, Africa, and South Asia answered the call. They left their homes, families, and familiar surroundings to serve in hospitals across the UK. Despite encountering discrimination and unequal treatment, they built the foundation of a health service that remains one of the most diverse and respected in the world. Their legacy continues through the generations of Black nurses and carers who today make up a significant part of the UK healthcare workforce providing vital support, compassion, and cultural understanding to millions of patients every year.
Key Historical Timeline & Icons
1805–1881
Mary Jane Seacole
Born in Jamaica, Seacole learned early healing skills from her mother and acted as a nurse and businesswoman during epidemics (cholera, yellow fever) and later during the Crimean War. She set up the “British Hotel” near Balaclava to tend to wounded soldiers, despite being refused by official bodies due to her race and gender. Her legacy, once under-recognised, is now celebrated with statues, public honours, and inclusion in medical history. (Britannica)
Late 19th / Early 20th Century
Annie Brewster
One of the earliest identified Afro-Caribbean nurses in Britain. She worked at The London Hospital starting as a trainee in 1881, becoming a trusted nurse in the ophthalmic wards, caring for patients losing their sight. Her story highlights that Black nurses have long been part of British healthcare history. (Wikipedia)
1950s
Kofoworola Abeni Pratt
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, she came to the UK in 1946 to train as a nurse. She became the first Black student at the Nightingale Training School at St Thomas’s Hospital, qualifying in 1949. She worked in the newly formed NHS and later became the first Nigerian to hold the post of Chief Nursing Officer. (Evelina London)
1960s
Daphne Steele
A Guyanese nurse who arrived in the UK in 1951. In 1964 she became the first Black matron in the NHS a ground breaking achievement in senior nursing leadership during a time of limited representation. (Wikipedia)
Post-Windrush / Mid-20th Century
Louise Da-Cocodia
Moved from Jamaica in 1955 to train as a nurse. Over three decades, she rose to become Assistant Superintendent of District Nurses in Manchester and an advocate for racial equality in the profession. (Wikipedia)
Modern Era
Nola Ishmael OBE
Born in Barbados, she became the first Black or minority ethnic Director of Nursing in London and has been widely recognised for advancing diversity in leadership. (Wikipedia)
Modern Era
Dame Elizabeth Anionwu
Born in Birmingham to an Irish mother and Nigerian father, she became the UK’s first sickle cell and thalassaemia specialist nurse, transforming care and awareness of these conditions. A champion for equality and diversity, she has inspired generations of nurses and was made a Dame in 2017 for her services to nursing and the NHS. (BBC / RCN)
Modern Era
Dame Donna Kinnair
A British nurse and former Chief Executive and General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). She has been a leading advocate for fair pay, workforce equality, and safer staffing, representing nurses at national and international levels. Her leadership continues to highlight the impact of Black women in shaping UK healthcare policy. (RCN / NHS)
Mary Seacole (1805–1881): A Pioneer of Compassion and Courage
Mary Seacole was born in 1805 in Kingston, Jamaica, to a Scottish father and a Jamaican mother known as a “doctress” a healer who used herbal and holistic remedies.When the Crimean War broke out in the 1850s, Seacole volunteered her services to nurse wounded soldiers. Her applications were rejected by the War Office and by Florence Nightingale’s team likely because of her race. Refusing to accept exclusion, she financed her own travel to Crimea and established the “British Hotel,” which served as both a rest stop and clinic for soldiers. She became known for her bravery in personally tending to be wounded soldiers on the battlefield, often under fire. Soldiers called her “Mother Seacole” a title of deep respect and affection.
Lasting impact:
Mary Seacole’s legacy is one of compassion, dignity, and cultural understanding in medicine. She broke racial and gender barriers long before equality was legislated, inspiring generations of healthcare professionals to lead with courage and empathy.
Dame Elizabeth Anionwu (Born 1947): The Nurse Who Changed the System
Dame Elizabeth Anionwu was born in Birmingham to an Irish mother and Nigerian father. Raised partly in care, her early experiences inspired her determination to improve healthcare equality and patient support. At sixteen, she began training as a nurse, later specialising in community health. In 1979, she co-founded the UK’s first Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Screening and Counselling Centre in Brent, London. At the time, there was minimal awareness of these inherited conditions, which primarily affected Black and minority ethnic communities. Her pioneering work brought genetic conditions into mainstream NHS awareness, introducing screening programmes and culturally sensitive patient education. She later founded the Mary Seacole Centre for Nursing Practice at the University of West London, promoting equality and excellence in nursing education.
Lasting impact:
Her influence changed how the NHS approaches Cultural competence and inclusivity. Thousands of patients have benefited from her advocacy and education reforms, ensuring Black and ethnic minority health needs are represented and addressed across the system.
Dame Donna Kinnair DBE (Born 1961): Leading with Integrity and Advocacy
Dame Donna Kinnair was born in Hackney in 1961 She was one of nine children to Antiguan parents. Her interest in healthcare was kindled at an early age after a lengthy hospital stay and so in 1983,she attended Princess Alexandra School of Nursing at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel. and began her career at the Royal London Hospital before moving into intensive care and HIV nursing. Her passion for equality, leadership, and patient safety led her to senior roles, culminating in her appointment as Chief Executive and General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).She led the RCN’s Safe Staffing campaign, advocating for legislation to ensure adequate nurse-to-patient ratios. Her leadership during key national debates on healthcare funding and worker wellbeing made her a trusted voice for both nurses and patients. Dame Donna also became a strong advocate for diversity in leadership, ensuring that Black and minority nurses are represented and respected across all levels of healthcare.
Lasting impact:
Her leadership transformed the way nursing leadership is viewed showing that empathy, accountability, and advocacy can coexist in powerful harmony. She continues to inspire Black healthcare professionals to step forward and lead with integrity. Representation and the Future of UK Healthcare
A Legacy That Continues
From Mary Seacole’s battlefield hospital to Elizabeth Anionwu’s pioneering genetic centre and Donna Kinnair’s leadership in national healthcare policy, Black nurses and carers have transformed British healthcare. Their work reminds us that progress in healthcare is not just medical it’s human. It is built on compassion, equality, and the courage to challenge systems for the better. This Black History Month, we honour the generations who have cared for the UK with skill, strength, and grace. Their stories remind us that inclusion is not just about recognition it’s about shaping a future where everyone belongs, and every contribution is valued.
