A "SMALL number of people" do not treat NHS Fife staff with any respect as workers highlighted 18 racist incidents at their work during 2022/23.
The Scottish Liberal Democrats claimed the problem is getting worse across the country, with figures from freedom of information requests suggesting abusive and bigoted behaviour is on the rise in hospitals and health centres.
The party said racist incidents flagged up by NHS staff have more than doubled in the last five years, from 213 in 2018/19 to 437 in 2022/23, while in the Kingdom they rose from 11 to 18.
David Miller, NHS Fife’s director of workforce, said: “Staff across the health service in Fife work incredibly hard in challenging circumstances to provide people with high-quality care.
“While the vast majority of people who interact with healthcare staff in Fife show great kindness and respect, there still remains a small number who do not.
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He continued: “All of our staff have the right to work in an environment free from intolerance or abuse of any kind and we apply a zero-tolerance approach towards any forms of racism.
“As an organisation, NHS Fife is committed to challenging all instances of racism and working with colleagues across the organisation to ensure all incidents are reported and fully investigated.”
Fife may be the third largest council area by population, but it is not amongst the top five health boards with the most reported racist incidents.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde had 174 in 2022/23, next was NHS Lothian with 91 racist incidents reported by staff, NHS Grampian had 54, NHS Tayside was next with 39 and NHS Lanarkshire had 31.
Twelve of the 14 health boards provided figures in response to freedom of information requests from the Scottish Lib Dems.
The party's health spokesperson, Alex Cole-Hamilton, said: “It makes me very sad to think that hardworking NHS staff or vulnerable patients could face racial abuse.
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“Ministers and health bosses must ensure that reporting procedures are up to scratch and that all staff know what to do when confronted by racist incidents.
"Everyone should feel secure and supported in their place of work, especially when that place of work is a place of healing and recovery.”
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