Aim
The King’s Fund was commissioned by the NHS Race and Health Observatory to examine the architecture within which the NHS operates and to consider the following questions:
To do this we conducted a rapid piece of policy analysis using literature searching and a small number of interviews (n=10) with key stakeholders from NHS organisations and relevant representative bodies. We also drew on knowledge and insights about the health
and care system from colleagues at The King’s Fund with expertise in ethnic health inequalities, workplace equality, health inequalities in the general population, and the development of new system structures such as ICSs and primary care networks (PCNs). This report identifies areas where national and system leaders need to take urgent action to address longstanding inequalities not just in health outcomes but in access to and experience of care for Black and minority ethnic people, and the experiences of members of the NHS workforce.
Key Recommendations were made under the following subheadings:
A landmark independent review of services provided by NHS Talking Therapies, formerly known as Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT), has been undertaken in partnership with the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health.
A new review published today by the NHS Race and Health Observatory outlines challenges in neonatal care for Black, Asian and minority ethnic babies, alongside clear recommendations on tackling them. Tests and assessments that indicate the health of newborns, moments after birth, are limited and not fit-for-purpose for Black, Asian and ethnic minority babies, and need immediate revision according to the NHS Race and Health Observatory.
Jewish communities in England experience health inequalities across a number of metrics including COVID-19 morbidity, immunisation take up, and breast cancer risk. The Jewish community has twice the number of people aged over 60 compared to the general population
