Healthwatch Hertfordshire has begun work to help end race and ethnic inequalities in local healthcare
We have just launched a new project working with local communities and NHS services to improve equality and inclusiveness within the NHS.
Even before Covid-19, people from ethnic minority groups were more likely to report poorer health and poorer experiences of using health services than their white counterparts. Unfortunately, this situation has worsened during the pandemic.
Background
Engagement with local communities ahead of this project, has highlighted that:
- There isn't enough information locally and nationally on Black, Asian and Arab's views and experiences of healthcare
- Statistics only tell part of the story, and more needs to be done to gain a deeper understanding of complex issues
- There needs to be more trust and understanding between communities and NHS services, and that
- Local NHS services could be better at taking into account ethnic, religious and cultural need
Everyone is entitled to the same level of care, regardless of ethnicity, and this project will help identify local inequality issues and work with the NHS to resolve them.
What we are doing
To help address the points raised by local communities, we are:
- Focusing on hearing directly from Black, Asian and Arab communities about their lived experience of local healthcare
- Working with local NHS organisations to understand what policies, practices and future plans they have in place to make their services more inclusive
- Using our influence and statutory powers to make recommendations to healthcare leaders
- Ensuring your voice helps inform the inequalities workstream of the Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care System (ICS)
