People who are racist to NHS staff “can and should” be turned away, the health secretary has said.

Wes Streeting condemned “mindless thuggery” seen across Britain in the aftermath of the Southport stabbings over the past week.

As far-right violence spread between towns and cities, Filipino nurses were attacked on Friday night as they travelled to work for emergency cover during unrest in Sunderland.

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Speaking to the PA news agency, Mr Streeting said the people who attacked them “brought enormous shame on our country”.

According to reports, the taxi they were travelling in was pelted with rocks and they were left “terrified”, the Mirror reported, though they were physically unharmed.

“I will not tolerate, under any circumstances, NHS or social care staff in any health or care setting being subjected to intimidation, harassment or racist abuse,” Mr Streeting said.

“We have a zero-tolerance policy in the NHS and we’ll take a zero-tolerance approach in social care too.

“People who are abusing NHS staff can be turned away, and should be turned away, if that is the way that they are treating our staff.”

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He added the country is “lucky” to have people in the NHS who “come from around the world to provide great, compassionate care”.

“I am proud that we have those people in Britain. I think the vast majority of Brits are too,” he said.

“And those people that have hijacked our flag for their mindless, racist thuggery – they have no idea about this country’s history or heritage, and they have brought enormous shame on our country by attacking NHS staff in this way.”

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Professor Nicola Ranger, general secretary and chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said guidance on when and how patients can be refused care has been updated.

It comes after GP leaders issued a warning to family doctors amid reports staff had been “targeted” during attacks.

Family doctors and their teams have been urged to “remain vigilant, particularly when travelling to and from work”.

Read more:
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The Royal College of GPs (RCGP) highlighted “horrific and unacceptable” abuse and violence towards healthcare workers, “especially those from ethnic minorities”.

The RCGP urged staff to travel in groups “where possible” and to try to avoid areas where there is known unrest.

Meanwhile, two GP surgeries in northeast London have said they are planning to shut early on Wednesday because of potential unrest in the area.

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