Search the hub
Showing results for tags 'Health inequalities'.
Found 110 results
-
Content ArticleThe report calls for urgent action and includes several recommendations: Recommendation 1: The Government must go further and set out an urgent plan for tackling the disproportionate impact of Covid on ethnic minorities this winter Recommendation 2: A national strategy to tackle health inequalities Recommendation 3: Suspend ‘no recourse to public funds’ rule during the pandemic and initiate a review Recommendation 4: Ensure Covid-19 cases from the workplace are properly recorded Recommendation 5: Strengthen Covid-19 risk assessments to ensure consistency and to give workers more confidence Recommendation 6: Improve access to PPE in all high-risk workplaces Recommendation 7: Give targeted support to people who are struggling to self-isolate at home Recommendation 8: Ensure protection and an end to discrimination for renters Recommendation 9: Raise the local housing allowance and address the root causes of homelessness Recommendation 10: Urgently conduct equality impact assessments on the Government’s support schemes to make sure Black, Asian and minority ethnic people are able to access the support they need Recommendation 11: Develop and implement a clear plan to prevent the stigmatisation of communities during Covid-19 Recommendation 12: Urgently legislate to tackle online harms Recommendation 13: Ensure everyone can access Covid-19 communication Recommendation 14: Collect and publish better ethnicity data Recommendation 15: Implement a race equality strategy Recommendation 16: Ensure all policies and programmes help tackle structural inequality Recommendation 17: Introduce mandatory ethnicity pay gap reporting Recommendation 18: End the ‘hostile environment’ Recommendation 19: Reform the curriculum to fight the root causes of racism Recommendation 20: Take action to close the attainment gap. Follow the link below to read the full report and more detailed version of the recommendations.
-
News ArticlePoorer mothers are three times more likely to have stillborn children than those from more affluent backgrounds, according to a new study. The wide-ranging research, conducted by pregnancy charity Tommy’s, also found that high levels of stress doubled the likelihood of stillbirth, irrespective of other social factors and pregnancy complications. Unemployed mothers were almost three times more at risk. The government has been urged to take immediate action to address the social determinants of health and halt the rise in pregnant women who face the stress of financial insecurity. Researchers said getting more antenatal care can stop women from having a stillbirth — with mothers who went to more appointments than national rules stipulate having a 72% lower risk. Ros Bragg, director of Maternity Action said, “If the government is serious about combatting stillbirths, it must address the social determinants of health as well as clinical care. Women need safe, secure employment during their pregnancy and the certainty of a decent income if they find themselves out of work. It is not right that increasing numbers of pregnant women are dealing with the stress of financial insecurity, putting them at increased risk of serious health problems, including stillbirth.” Read full story Source: The Independent, 29 October 2020
-
News Article
Fears of 'two-tier' system as NHS waiting lists prompt more people to go private
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Concerns are growing that long NHS waiting times caused by the coronavirus crisis are exacerbating pre-existing health inequalities and creating a “two-tier” system, as more people turn to the private sector for quicker treatment. As leading doctors warn mass cancellations of NHS operations in England are inevitable this winter after waiting times reached the highest levels on record this summer, data shows a rise in the number of people self-funding treatment or investing in private health insurance. “COVID-19 has not impacted everyone equally, and there is clearly a risk that the backlog in routine hospital treatment is going to add to those inequalities if some people are able to get treatment faster because they’re able to pay,” said Tim Gardner, from the Health Foundation thinktank. As the NHS heads into winter and a growing second wave of the virus, experts stressed the need to help those affected by the backlog now. “There is a need to prioritise the most urgent cases, but simply because someone’s case isn’t urgent doesn’t mean it’s not important. It doesn’t mean that people aren’t waiting in pain and discomfort, or waiting anxiously for a diagnosis,” said Gardner. “We think it’s incumbent on the health service to make the best possible use of the capacity it’s got. But also it needs to make sure it’s supporting people while they’re waiting. We just can’t have people left in limbo.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 27 October 2020 -
News Article
Racial discrimination widespread in NHS job offers, says report
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Doctors from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds have been hindered in their search for senior roles because of widespread “racial discrimination” in the NHS, according to a report from the Royal College of Physicians. The RCP, which represents 30,000 of the UK’s hospital doctors, found that ingrained “bias” in the NHS made it much harder for BAME doctors to become a consultant compared with their white counterparts. “It is clear from the results of this survey that racial discrimination is still a major issue within the NHS,” said Dr Andrew Goddard, the RCP’s president. “It’s a travesty that any healthcare appointment would be based on anything other than ability.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 21 October 2020 -
Content Article
Independent Living: Keeping in touch (14 October 2020)
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Blogs
-
Content Article
-
EventuntilHealth inequalities are deep, persistent and hard to change. Solutions call for systemic changes at an organisation level, whole-system partnerships and investment. What can we do to address health inequality as individuals working in healthcare? This webinar brings together a multidisciplinary faculty of speakers to highlight the ways individual healthcare professionals can help to reduce health inequality, despite their prevalence. Register
-
Content Article
-
News Article
England's 'fragile' care sector needs immediate reform, says regulator
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The government must immediately deliver a new deal for social care with major investment and better terms for workers, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has said, as it warned that the sector is “fragile” heading into a second wave of coronavirus infections. In a challenge to ministers, the regulator’s chief executive, Ian Trenholm, said overdue reform of the care sector “needs to happen now – not at some point in the future”. Boris Johnson said in his first speech as prime minister, in July 2019: “We will fix the crisis in social care once and for all.” But no reform has yet been proposed, and more than 15,000 people have died from COVID-19 in England’s care homes. Trenholm said Covid risked turning inequalities in England’s health services from “faultlines into chasms” as the CQC published its annual State of Care report on hospitals, GPs and care services. The report reveals serious problems with mental health, maternity services and emergency care before the pandemic, and says these areas must not be allowed to fall further behind. The regulator argued that the health system’s response to the pandemic needs to change. After focusing on protecting NHS services from being overwhelmed, health leaders must now adapt to prevent people who need help for non-Covid reasons from being left behind, it said. These include people whose operations were cancelled and people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities, and people living in deprived areas who have suffered more severely from the impact of Covid. “Covid is magnifying inequalities across the health and care system – a seismic upheaval which has disproportionately affected some more than others,” said Trenholm. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 16 October 2020 -
Content ArticleQuality of care before the pandemic The care that people received in 2019/20 was mostly of good quality However, while quality was largely maintained compared with the previous year, there was no improvement overall Before the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic, we remained concerned about a number of issues: the poorer quality of care that is harder to plan for the need for care to be delivered in a more joined-up way the continued fragility of adult social care provision the struggles of the poorest services to make any improvement significant gaps in access to good quality care, especially mental health care persistent inequalities in some aspects of care The impact of the coronavirus pandemic As the pandemic gathered pace, health and care staff across all roles and services showed resilience under unprecedented pressures and adapted quickly to work in different ways to keep people safe. In hospitals and care homes, staff worked long hours in difficult circumstances to care for people who were very sick with COVID-19 and, despite their efforts to protect people, tragically they saw many of those they cared for die. Some staff also had to deal with the loss of colleagues to COVID. A key challenge for providers has been maintaining a safe environment – managing the need to socially distance or isolate people due to COVID-19. Good infection prevention and control practice has been vital. The crisis has accelerated innovation that had previously proved difficult to mainstream, such as GP practices moving rapidly to remote consultations. The changes have proved beneficial to, and popular with, many. But many of these innovations exclude people who do not have good digital access, and some have been rushed into place during the pandemic. The pandemic has had a major impact on elective care and urgent services such as cancer and cardiac services, and there is huge pent-up demand for care and treatment that has been postponed. The pandemic is having a disproportionate effect on some groups of people, and is shining a light on existing inequality in the health and social care system. It is vital that we understand how we can use this knowledge to move towards fairer and more equitable care, where nobody’s needs go unmet. It is important that the learning and innovation that has been seen during the pandemic is used to develop health and social care for the future. New approaches to care, developed in response to the pandemic and shown to have potential, must be fully evaluated before they become established practice.
-
Content Article
Black women’s health matters (October 2020)
PatientSafetyLearning Team posted an article in Women's health
-
Content Article
-
News ArticleOne of the earliest signs that black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people were being disproportionately harmed by the coronavirus pandemic came when the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre (ICNAR) published research in early April showing that 35% of almost 2,000 Covid patients in intensive care units in England, Wales and Northern Ireland were non-white. A lot has happened in the intervening six months with numerous reports, including by the Office for National Statistics and Public Health England (PHE), confirming the increased risk to ethnic minorities and recommendations published on how to mitigate that risk. However, as the second wave intensifies, the demographics of those most seriously affected remain remarkably similar. ICNARC figures show that the non-white proportion of the 10,877 Covid patients admitted to intensive care up to 31 August was 33.9% in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. This rises to 38.3% of patients admitted since 1 September, albeit of a much smaller cohort (527 intensive care admissions). The government mantra “we’re all in this together” proved to be little more than an empty rallying cry early in the pandemic and the ICNARC figures show it remains the case that people in the most deprived socioeconomic groups make up a greater proportion of patients in critical care. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 9 October 2020
-
Content Article
Black Maternal Mental Health Week 2020
PatientSafetyLearning Team posted an article in Maternity
Join the Motherhood Group from the 28 September as they continue to spread awareness and amplify the black motherhood mental health experience in the UK. The week includes a series of planned events covering a variety of topics, listed below. 28th September - Why do we need a black maternal mental health week? 29th September - Self love - what does it look like? 30th September - Speaking out - sharing our stories and amplifying our voices 1st October - Good support - offering guidance and signposting 2nd October - Strong Black Woman Myth and Cultural Factors 3rd October - Creating Safe spaces - Black Mum Fest 2020 4th October - Self-reflection - what can we do better to improve BMMH. You can register and find out more about who is speaking throughout Black Maternal Mental Health Week, by following the link below. -
Content ArticleOver 200,000 babies were born when lockdown was at its most restrictive, between 23 March and 4 July. The survey of 5,474 respondents suggests that the impact of COVID-19 on these babies could be severe and may be longlasting. The report found: 6 in 10 (61%) parents shared significant concerns about their mental health. A quarter (24%) of pregnant respondents who cited mental health as a main concern said they would like help with this, rising to almost a third (32%) of those with a baby. Only around 3 in 10 (32%) were confident that they could find help for their mental health if they needed it. Almost 9 in 10 (87%) parents were more anxious as a result of COVID-19 and the lockdown. There was a notable variation among respondents who reported feeling ‘a lot’ more anxious: White 42%, Black/ Black British 46%, Asian/Asian British 50%, parents 25 years old or under 54%, and parents with a household income of less than £16k 55%.
-
News ArticleNHS leaders are being encouraged to have ‘difficult discussions’ about inequalities, after a trust found its BAME staff reported being ‘systematically… bullied and harassed’, along with other signs of discrimination. A report published by Newcastle Hospitals Foundation Trust found the trust’s black, Asian and minority ethnic staff are more likely than white staff to be bullied or harassed by colleagues, less likely to reach top jobs, and experience higher rates of discrimination from managers. It claims to be the first in-depth review into pay gaps and career progression among BAME workforce at a single trust. The new report revealed that, in a trust survey carried out last year, some BAME staff described being subjected to verbal abuse and racial slurs by colleagues; had left departments after being given no chance of progression; and been “systematically… bullied and harassed”. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 22 September 2020
-
News ArticleA third of coronavirus patients in intensive care are from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, prompting the head of the British Medical Association to warn that government inaction will be responsible for further disproportionate deaths. Chaand Nagpaul, the BMA Council chair, was the first public figure to call for an inquiry into whether and why there was a disparity between BAME and white people in Britain in terms of how they were being affected by the pandemic, in April. Subsequent studies, including a Public Health England (PHE) analysis in early June, confirmed people of certain ethnicities were at greater risk but Nagpaul said no remedial action had been taken by the government. Nagpaul told the Guardian: “We are continuing to see BAME people suffering disproportionately in terms of intensive care admissions so not acting means that we’re not protecting our vulnerable communities. Action was needed back in July and it’s certainly needed now more than ever. “As the infection rate rises, there’s no reason to believe that the BAME population will not suffer again because no action has been taken to protect them. They are still at higher risk of serious ill health and dying.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 20 September 2020
-
News ArticleMore than one in four patients with severe mental health conditions are missing diagnosis when they are admitted to hospital for other reasons, new research suggests. According to data analysed by scientists at University College London, those who are missing these mental illness diagnoses are more likely to be from ethnic minority groups or have a previously diagnosed mental illnesses. However, the situation has improved – in 2006 it was found that mental health diagnoses were missed in more than 50% of cases. "We found encouraging signs that clinicians are more frequently identifying severe mental illnesses in hospital patients than they were a decade ago,” Hassan Mansour, a research assistant at UCL psychiatry, said. “But there's a lot more that can be done, particularly to address disparities between ethnic groups, to ensure that everyone gets the best care available. Training in culturally-sensitive diagnosis may be needed to reduce inequalities in medical care." The researchers have suggested these findings may be due to language barriers or stigma felt by patients. It was also suggested that clinicians may be less able to detect these conditions in people from other ethnic and cultural groups. Read full story Source: The Independent, 18 September 2020
-
Content Article
-
Content Article
-
News ArticleAlmost two-thirds of black Britons think the NHS does less to protect their health than that of white people, research has found. That negative view of the health service is shared by a majority of black people of almost all ages, and is held especially strongly by black women, according to findings of a study commissioned by a parliamentary committee. Overall, 64% of black people do not believe that their health is as protected by the NHS compared with white people’s. When asked if they thought it was, 34.3% disagreed and another 29.6% disagreed strongly, while just 19.9% agreed and a further 2.4% agreed strongly. The survey was commissioned by MPs and peers on the joint committee on human rights as part of its inquiry into black people, racism and human rights in the UK. The report will be published and debated with the authors at an evidence session today. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 7 September 2020
-
Content Article
-
Content Article
-
News ArticleWomen are forced to wait more than five times longer than men for a heart failure diagnosis, a new study has found. Researchers discovered women are 96 per cent more likely to get an incorrect diagnosis of heart failure than men – attributing sharp disparities to such problems being wrongly viewed as “a man’s disease”. The study, conducted by leading heart failure charity the Pumping Marvellous Foundation, found men said they waited an average of just over three and a half weeks to get a formal diagnosis after their first GP visit, but women waited just over 20 weeks instead. Researchers warned such delays were linked to “poorer quality of life, financial losses, mental health issues and avoidable deaths” – adding that health professionals do not give heart failure the same attention and gravity as cancer and other diseases. "One of them [GP] actually said, your symptoms are probably not to do with your heart because you’re young and you’re female. Even though my father had a heart condition," says Sarah, who was diagnosed at the age of 42. Read full story Source: The Independent, 27 August 2020
