Race Equality Foundation - Improving health and social care services provision to black and minority ethnic communities

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Partnerships for better health and care for black and minority ethnic communities

Background

It is well evidenced that people from minority ethnic groups experience poorer health than their white counterparts.  There is prevalence of certain conditions, such as Diabetes and Hypertension, and evidence of how discrimination and disadvantage impact on their health experiences (Keating, 2007, Karlssen, 2007). Whilst public health reforms has, reducing health inequalities as one of its priorities, evidence continues to show the persistence of inequalities in health for black and minority ethnic communities.  In addition, health policy and initiatives have had limited impact in reducing these inequalities (Social Exclusion Unit, 2005, Butt, 2007), with statutory sector organisations still experiencing difficulties in engaging and supporting African, Asian and African Caribbean communities.

Yet, black and minority ethnic (BME) led organisations have successfully engaged and supported these minority ethnic groups.  Despite the limited resources and funding, inconsistent involvement in local service planning and limited access to policy makers.   BME organisations are highly valued by their service users and have supported users by providing accessible services in health.   Working with these voluntary organisations will assist public statutory organisations to improve services to different minority ethnic communities.  In addition, participation will assist Primary Care Trusts in working towards the ‘programme of action’ to tackle health inequalities and any obstacles to minority ethnic communities accessing and using health related services.

Aims

The overall aim of this project is to develop better partnership working between black and minority ethnic voluntary organisations, Primary Care Trusts and Local Authority Social Services Department, to embed equality in service provision to improve the quality of health care support available to black and minority ethnic communities.

This will involve:

• The sharing of learning, information and knowledge to improve engagement and use of health services by black and minority ethnic communities;
• Identifying issues, exploring problems and finding solutions to partnership working between black and minority ethnic organisations, Primary Care Trusts and Social Services Departments;
• Disseminating good practice for partnership working

How we will do the work

This project is funded for three years through the Department of Health Section 64 grant scheme. 

Throughout this time we will work in nine local authority areas; three areas per year.  We will use a programme of action learning with front line health and social care practitioners who will meet six times within a three-month period.  Action learning is a process based on the concept of ‘learning from doing’.  Action learning involves a group or ‘learning set’ of practitioners meeting over a period of time to identify issues and find solutions to problems they are facing in providing services.  With the aid of a facilitator, the ‘set’ explore the problems, devises an action plan, tests out the plan and develop solutions.  The focus of the Health learning set will be on finding solutions to barriers practitioners face in partnership working.  At the end of the programme, participants will identify lessons for themselves and to share with others.

The project will be overseen by a health advisory group, which will consist primarily of Asian, African and African Caribbean service users.

Outcomes

The main outcome will be self sustaining effective partnerships between the BME-led voluntary organisations, Primary Care Trusts and Social Services in the nine areas.  In additional:

• Measurable improvements in the access and use of health related services by black and minority ethnic communities;
• Lessons on how to implement partnerships to bring about change in the quality of support that can be replicated nationally, and
• A good practice guide comprising of case studies on aspects of effective partnership.

Further information

A Health Project Worker will carry out the project. For further information about this work, contact Tracey Bignall on 020 7619 6225 or email tracey@racefound.org.uk.

Useful publications

• Department of Health (2004) Tackling Health Inequalities: a programme for action, Department of Health
• Karlssen, S (2007) Better Health Briefing 3 Ethnic Inequalities in health: the impact of racism, Race Equality Foundation
• Keating, F (2007) Better Health Briefing 5 African and Caribbean men and mental health, Race Equality Foundation
• Randhawa, G (2007) Better Health Briefing 6 Tackling health inequalities for minority ethnic groups: challenges and opportunities, Race Equality Foundation
• See also -  Butt, J (2006) Race equality discussion paper 03: Are we there yet? Identifying the characteristics of social care organisations that successfully promote diversity, Social Care Institute for Excellence