My Nigerian Nurse Mother Received “Black Service” in Undignified Death – Lord Adebowale.
Fellow Nurses Africa News || Lagos, Nigeria || June 14, 2025
Lord Victor Adebowale, chair of the NHS Confederation, has publicly claimed that his 92-year-old mother, Grace Adebowale—a retired NHS nurse—received what he described as a “black service, not an NHS service” before her death in January 2025.
According to The Telegraph, Lord Adebowale made these remarks during his address at the NHS ConfedExpo in Manchester. Reflecting on his mother’s final days, he said:
“It was not the dignified death that we would have wanted for her. It wasn’t the death she deserved.”
Lord Adebowale emphasized that his mother’s experience reflected broader, systemic inequalities within the NHS:
“People that look like me and shades of me don’t get the service.”
Grace Adebowale, originally from Nigeria, emigrated to Scotland in the 1950s and dedicated 45 years of her life to the NHS, working in mental health, maternity, and acute care. Despite her lifelong contributions, her suspected lung cancer was only discovered during a post-mortem examination. No diagnosis had been recorded in her medical files while she was alive.
“It’s still the case,” Lord Adebowale told The Telegraph,
“that if you look like me, you’re more likely to discover that you’ve got cancer in A&E.”
Picture credit: NHS Confederation
He further pointed to disparities in treatment outcomes, referencing data that shows Black patients are more likely to experience late diagnoses and longer waiting times. On average, Black patients wait 20 minutes longer in A&E than their white counterparts.
“I’m not blaming individuals,” he clarified, “this is a systemic problem.”
Grace had arrived in poor condition at the A&E of an overwhelmed hospital. Despite her history and clear need, there was no indication in her records of any cancer diagnosis.
Kate Seymour of Macmillan Cancer Support, also quoted by The Telegraph, described the situation as a
“heartbreaking reality,” and urged the government to prioritize racial equity in its forthcoming cancer care plan.
An NHS spokesperson responded, as cited by The Telegraph:
“Everyone – no matter their background – should receive the best NHS care possible,” while noting current efforts to improve cancer screening and health outreach for Black and Asian communities.
This case, as reported by The Telegraph, strikes a painful chord with nurses across Africa and the diaspora. Grace Adebowale’s story is a stark reminder of the long road ahead in addressing healthcare inequities. Her legacy calls for urgent and transformative change within health systems to ensure dignity and justice in care for all patients—regardless of race or background.
