People who are racist to NHS staff ‘can and should’ be turned away from care, the Health Secretary has said.

Wes Streeting said the Government ‘will not tolerate’ the continuation of violence seen in towns and cities across England in the aftermath of the Southport stabbings.

Speaking on a visit to the Leeds Cancer Centre, Mr Streeting condemned the ‘mindless thuggery’ seen on streets across Britain over the past week.

And he said the people who attacked Filipino nurses in Sunderland had ‘brought enormous shame on our country’.

The two nurses were attacked on Friday evening as they travelled to work to provide emergency cover during unrest in Sunderland.

According to reports, the taxi they were travelling in was pelted with rocks. While the nurses were physically unharmed the Mirror reported they were left ‘terrified’ by the ordeal.

Mr Streeting the NHS has a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to racism.

‘The Government will not tolerate the continuation of this mindless thuggery by far-right agitators in our country,’ he said.

‘I was appalled by reports of violence directed towards Filipino nurses in Sunderland – these were nurses going into work to provide emergency care and their attackers bring shame on our flag and shame on our country.’

He added: ‘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.

‘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.’

Mr Streeting continued: ‘I think the overwhelming majority of people in our country are utterly disgusted and appalled by the racism and violence on display.

‘I think we are lucky to have people in our NHS and social care sectors 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.

‘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.’

Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association, today said there is a ‘lot of worry’ about the riots among her members and she has written to NHS England asking for guidance for front-line workers.

She added: ‘I have had pharmacies telling me that some residents in the local area – mainly in ethnic minority areas – are coming in to ask if they sell anything that can protect them from acid attacks due to the riots.’

On Monday, Professor Nicola Ranger, general secretary and chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said: ‘Migrant nursing staff are precious members of our communities, hardwired into the very DNA of our health and care services. We ask government to ensure that anybody targeting them pays a very heavy price.’

It comes after GP leaders issued a warning to family doctors after reports that staff had been ‘targeted’ during the attacks.