NHS Lothian to make amends for slave ownership in 18th Century

NHS Lothian has said it will make amends for historical links to slavery.

The health board said it would provide "non-financial reparations" after research revealed the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh owned slaves in Jamaica.

NHS Lothian said a plantation with 39 people of African descent provided "considerable wealth" for the hospital in the 18th Century, worth £39m today.

The board committed to raise awareness, provide education and forge new relationships to acknowledge its past.

The research, which began in 2021, was presented to board members of NHS Lothian alongside a series of recommendations.

These said NHS Lothian should publish an apology and create a group to deliver anti-racist interventions to tackle current racial inequalities in employment and health.

It said commemorative works should be commissioned and urged the health board to explore partnerships with organisations in Jamaica and West Africa.

The research found that in 1750, 39 slaves on Red Hill pen, a small estate in the south east of Jamaica, were left to the hospital through the will of Scottish surgeon Dr Archibald Kerr.

The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh owned Red Hill pen for 143 years.

It relied on the money generated by the estate to buy medicines, construct a new building, employ staff, and heal Edinburgh's "sick poor".

In 1948 the infirmary was incorporated into the NHS, then NHS Lothian was established in 2001.

Calum Campbell, chief executive of NHS Lothian, said: "Tackling racism helps us reduce health inequalities and improve outcomes for our diverse population and ensures a better experience for everyone.

"This important work was carried out to help give us a greater understanding of the history that has shaped our society and institutions."