NHS England launches expert research centre

NHS England and NHS Confederation have confirmed the creation of a new centre to investigate the impact of race and ethnicity on people's health.

The NHS Race and Health Observatory, which will be hosted by the NHS Confederation, will identify and tackle the specific health challenges facing people from BAME backgrounds.

The announcement follows significant concerns about the particular impact of the coronavirus virus on people from black, Asian and ethnic minority (BAME) backgrounds.

The Observatory will involve experts from this country and internationally, and will offer analysis and policy recommendations to improve health outcomes for NHS patients, communities and staff.

Prerana Isaar, NHS England's chief people officer, said: “Addressing health inequalities needs a concerted effort from all of us and this means facing up to how we can tackle the health inequalities that Covid-19 has brought into stark relief, which is why the race observatory is an important step, and we need everyone to support this society-wide change.”

Victor Adebowale, chair of NHS Confederation, said: “I’m extremely proud that the NHS Confederation is to host the Observatory. As an organisation we are committed to supporting our members both as employers and service providers to promote equality, diversity and inclusion and create a fairer health and care system.

“The impact of Covid-19 on black and minority ethnic communities and healthcare staff has shone the brightest of lights on racial inequalities and their root causes. The NHS Race and Health Observatory will be critical in identifying and helping to transform the disproportionate effects that race is having on patients, communities and NHS staff. This has the potential to be a step-change towards a new era of greater equality.”

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This story was first published in digitalhealth.net

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