GPs call for action to protect ethnic minorities

The Royal College of GPs has called for action to tackle the risks posed by coronavirus to ethnic minorities and to ensure doctors and staff are kept safe this winter.

The head of the college, Professor Martin Marshall, has expressed concern for the thousands of GPs from a black and minority ethnic (BAME) background who will be on the frontline of any resurgence of the virus.

Writing to Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch, Marshall urged the government to act on recommendations made by Professor Kevin Fenton in his report for Public Health England which highlighted BAME communities were disproportionately at risk of dying from coronavirus. He said that vital steps, such as occupational risk assessments that were culturally competent, must be developed so GPs can assess the safety of themselves and their staff.

Speaking to The Independent, he said: “It [the pandemic] has certainly not been the ‘great leveller’ that some described at the beginning. This has impacted on patients, but it has also impacted on colleagues, right across the health service. In general practice, of the 12 GPs who have died, 11 were from BAME communities.

“The Fenton report made a number of recommendations that when implemented, should make the health service safer for patients and staff from BAME communities. We’re writing this letter for an update as to where we are with this. We are fast approaching what we expect to be a busy winter in general practice, with a potential second wave of Covid-19, so this is urgent.”