The NHS is seeking to cut spending by appealing for voluntary redundancies from the NHS workforce. Under the 'mutually agreed resignation scheme', workers would receive a lump sum pay-off if they volunteer to leave the service, which in the case of some managers could equate to up to a year's pay . For more details, please visit the 24dash website

A coalition of charities lead by the Papworth Trust have called for reforms to the Work Capability Assessment, which it feels shortchanges those with mental health issues, learning disabilities and fluctuating health conditions. The coalition argue that the WCA may deny access to benefits by focusing upon physical health and ignoring other issues which present a barrier to employment. For more details, please visit the Papwprth Trust website.

This week's 'Scrubbing Up' opinion column is written by a trainee from the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, who examines the impact of the shortage of interpreters on frontline staff. To read the full piece, please visit the BBC website

A new study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry has demonstrated that rates of self-harm are higher amongst women from BME groups. Whilst there appears to be a minimal discrepancy between men from different ethnic groups, BME women also appeared to be less likely to receive psychiatric care, and to return to hospital if they self-harm again. For more details, please see the Health Canal website.

A report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies has attacked the Coalition Government's budget, claiming a budget which hits poorest families hardest cannot be regarded as "progressive austerity". The report claims that cuts to benefits will see the poorest 10% of families losing over 5% of their income compared with a loss of less than 1% for the richest 10% of households. With black and minority ethnic families more likely to fall into this bracket, the budget is likely to have a significant impact on these communities. For analysis, see the Guardian website or for the full report, see the IFS website.

The 2010 shortlist for the Health and Social Care Regional Awards has been announced. Designed to 'highlight and celebrate innovation and excellence across health and social care', the awards also 'recognise and encourage working together across organisations and professions, with service users and local populations'. In the shortlist are organisations that have been commended for their work with black and minorities communities, including NHS Buckinghamshire, whose 'Wellbeing for Travellers' scheme aims to improve health for Travellers and Gypsies by training women to become community health advocates, and Trafford Council whose Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Service Improvement Partnership work, has seen improvements to outreach services for black and minority ethnic elders. for more details, see see the NHS Buckinghamshire and the the Trafford Council websites.

Professor of Medical Sociology, Clive Seale, and Cross Bench Peer, Baroness Finlay, debated the findngs of a study published in the Journal of Medical Ethic on Today programme. The study found that doctors making decisions regarding patients who are close to dying will be heavily influenced by their own religious beliefs. to hear the debate, go to the http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8945000/8945502.stm?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

New research from the Health Protection Agency has shown that pregnant women from black and minority ethnic groups are more likely to be at risk of listeriosis. Transmitted by food infected by listeria bacteria, sufferers usually experience an upset stomach and flu-like symptoms, but the infection can also cause more severe illness especially amongst more vulnerable patients such as the pregnant or elderly. The Head of Listeria Surveillance at the HPA has called for more targeted outreach for BME groups, arguing that the risk of listeriosis can be reduced by avoiding certain foods, and also can be simply treated with antibiotics. For more details, see the MEN media Asian news website

New plans to cut a benefit which pays the interest on a mortgage from 6.08% to 3.67% are likely to have severe knock on effects on some of the UK's most vulnerable people, including those with disabilities or mental health problems. With expected savings of just £60m, there has been criticism from bodies including the National Housing Federation, who see the cuts as "particularly harsh way to try to bring public spending down". With many disabled recipients using the benefit to secure niche mortgages which allow shared ownership homes, it is feared that an end to the payments with deny the opportunity for independent living. For more details, please visit the Guardian website

With the month of Ramadan starting today (11 August- 9 September), the NHS Choices provides useful health information both for practitioners working with service users who are fasting, and for individuals who are fasting themselves. Communities in Action have also produced a useful gudie which provides information and advice on maximising health gain during the Muslim fast. To view the guide, please visit the Northwest Ambulance Trust website.

The NHS's National Cancer Action Team is looking for members for its National Black and Minority Ethnic Cancer Patient Advisory Panel to help support and improve cancer services and give cancer patients and carers from a BME background a voice. Members of the panel can participate for as long as they wish, and during the term of their participation will be contacted around 3 or 4 times each year. For more details, visit the National Cancer Action Team Patient Experience web site.

A letter leaked to the Guardian has revealed a warning from Equalities Minister, Theresa May, that budget cuts could break human rights obligations outlined under the Equality Act of 2010. With many cuts likely to disproportionately affect women, the elderly, disabled people and black and minority ethnic communities, May drew attention to the risk of judicial action if cuts were deemed likely to worsen inequalities. For more details, please visit the Guardian website.

Home Secretary, Theresa May, has drawn criticism after announcing her intention to scrap a pilot project for 'go orders'. Providing the police with rights to remove violent partners from the home for 2 weeks, the scheme was expected to give victims time to seek help and provide alternate accommodation. For more information on housing options for black and minority women suffering domestic violence, please read Better Housing Briefing 9, or for more on this story, visit the Independent website.

The sweeping reforms outlined in the NHS White Paper are likely to have a significant impact on NHS workers and service users alike. With black and minority ethnic groups representing both 15% of the NHS workforce and some of the most disadvantaged groups in society, it is likely that any negative outcomes are likely to hit these communities hardest. As a Strategic Partner of the NHS, the Race Equality Foundation is keen to hear your thoughts and opinions on the impact of the White Paper. Please tell us what you think on the Better Health forum.

A new report from the British Medical Journal has highlighted the increasing inequalities in premature mortality in Britain between 1990 and 2007. However, although the report examines the role of poverty and geographical location, no attention is given to the role of ethnicity as a determinant of health. With significant inequalities in access to health and housing services for some black and minority ethnic groups, it is likely that examining the influence of ethnicity upon premature mortality could have revealed striking differences. To read the full article, visit the BMJ website.

An up-and-coming report from the Terrence Higgins Trust and Age UK has found that whilst people with HIV are living longer, older people living with HIV are also likely to face multiple disadvantages including other health problems, financial worries and discrimination from care staff. Although the report examines all over 50s, it explicitly highlights the large number of African migrants, who are also likely to face these discrimination relating race, cultural differences and perceived ‘health tourism’. For more details on the report, visit the 24-dash website

The Health Inequalities Scrutiny Programme is a 2 year programme to raise the profile of scrutiny as a means to tackling health inequalities. This community is open to anybody who has an interest in these issues. To join, go to the Communities of Practice for Local Government website

The Government’s Home Access Team is offering free computers and assistive technology for school-age children with a learning or physical disability who come from a low-income family. For more details, visit the Home Access website

One North West have published a short report to examine the likely impact of the Coalition Government’s ‘Big Society’ agenda. Prescribing a ‘radical shift of power from Westminster to local people’, there have been concerns that the BME sector and communities might be disproportionately affected by the developments. One North West are also conducting a survey and would like you to provide feedback on the Big Society agenda.

After extension consultation, London Mayor Boris Johnson has published a ‘London Health Inequalities Strategy’ to inequalities between the lives of local people in different areas of London. To read the full report, go to the london.gov.uk website.

The African Black Diaspora Global Network on HIV and AIDS is currently conducting a global consultation to identify key individuals, organizations and institutions engaged in policy and programming responses that address the needs of HIV positive and/or at-risk African, Caribbean and Black communities living in the Diaspora. They are also seeking to document the strategies and interventions being undertaken with our target populations across various global regions. Please use the following link to take part in the survey.

The NHS White Paper published by the coalition government on 13th July outlines major structural changes to the NHS system. With a major shift in commissioning powers, GPs will now be solely responsible for the processing while PCTs and SHAs will be phased out. To read the full White Paper, please visit the Department of Health site.

The Department of Health has published key statistics on health by Local Authority area. Comparing factors such as life expectancy, deprivation and early deaths from stroke and heart disease, the data gives some acknowledgement to role of ethnicity in health outcomes. The health profiles will help local authorities, GPs and health services to target their resources effectively to improve the overall health and wellbeing of those who need it most. Visit the Association of Health Observatories site to find out more.

The Lesbian & Gay Foundation, Manchester, in partnership with The International School for Communities, Rights and Inclusion at the University of Central Lancashire are seeking black and minority ethnic participants to partake in research into drug and alcohol use among lesbian, gay and bisexual communities in England. Please note that respondents must live in England and must be lesbian, gay or bisexual, but they need not have ever used any drugs or alcohol to take part. For more information, or to take part, please visit the Lesbian & Gay Foundation website.

Survivor Research is an organisation which seeks to promote user-led perspectives in mental health. They are currently recruiting participants for a study to collect stories of recovery from mental distress of women from African, African Caribbean and South Asian communities living in London. The women will be those who self-define as having “recovered” or “being in recovery” – the purpose of the study is to find out from people what their own definitions of mental distress and recovery are rather than imposing any pre-conceived definitions. To find out more, visit the Survivor Research website.

A National Audit Office report published last week states that although the Department of Health has made a serious attempt to tackle health inequalities across England, progress has been slow. Although life expectancy has increased in spearhead areas has increased to 75.8 years for males and 80.4 years for females in 2006-08, this increase is not as great as for the population as a whole and the gap in life expectancy between the two has widened since the baseline by 7 per cent for males and 14 per cent for females. Although 44% of the black and minority ethnic population live in spearhead areas, the attention given to ethnicity within the report is minimal. Analysis of findings from Lambeth indicated that ethnicity was as important a factor in controlling diabetes and blood pressure as deprivation. These findings clearly have significant findings for service provision and the need to tailor and target health resources in accordance with the needs of certain black and minority ethnic groups. To read the full report, please visit the NAO website.

Minister of State for Social Care, Paul Burstow, highlighted the importance of supporting black and minority ethnic carers at roundtable consultation discussion last week. With limited support for carers across the UK, this has often been magnified for black and minority ethnic carers, who may also face racism or a lack of culturally competent services. For more information, see the Afiya website.
Please note: we have an up-and-coming briefing on this subject, anticipated for publication in Aug/Sep 2010.

Care Services Minister Paul Burstow launched the first direct payment scheme on 29th June, offering patients more choice and control over their healthcare. Direct payments for personal health budgets will enable patients to choose how, where and from whom they receive their healthcare, in partnership with the local NHS. For more details, see the Department of Health website.

The Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, spelled out his vision of the NHS at an event hosted by National Voice on 8th June. Stating that 'patients must be at the heart of everything we do', he argued that patients should drive decision making as both beneficiaries of care and participants in decision-making. Describing an NHS in which professionals are empowered to work without becoming 'disempowered, demoralised and demotivated', and in which healthcare is viewed in the wider context of communities, carers and population-wide health outcomes, his speech could have a wide-reaching upon black and minority ethnic staff and patients alike. To read the full speech, please visit the Department of Health website.

NICE have recently issued guidance on the prevention of cardiovascular disease targetted at government, the NHS, local authorities, industry, and all those whose actions influence the population’s cardiovascular health. For more information on the campaign, please visit the NICE website, or to see how cardiovascular disease can affect black and minority ethnic communities, please read Better Health briefing 16.

The 'Hope, Change and Bottom Up' conference saw black and minority ethnic NHS staff from across the UK meet in London to celebrate the launch of the NHS BME Network on on 4th June. The atmosphere at the event was one of enthusiasm, but also of determination, with the recognition that there was still plenty to be done to ensure that BME staff enjoy the opportunity to work without fear of discrimination or blocked promotion. We have a number of topics on the forum based on the issues discussed on the day - please do get involved! To find out more about the NHS BME network, please visit their website.

Social campaigning organisation, 38 Degrees, are currently working with Still Human Still Here to urge the government to support the right for asylum seekers to work if they’ve been in the UK for more than six months. They argue that these changes will not only cut the cost of welfare by allowing asylum seekers to support themselves, but also will allow them to integrate into British society. Visit the 38 site to get involved in the campaign.

Join us on Twitter to get more information on our projects and publications and to see what issues are grabbing our attention in the news! Please find follow us at RaceEqualityFdn.

Runnymede are currently looking for people for their latest research project to explore the historical contribution of South Asian communities to the NHS since 1948. The testimonies we collect will form a book to celebrate the achievements of South Asian NHS employees, past and present. If you would like to participate in this project, contact Klara Schmitz.

The Department of Health has launched a website as part of its national hepatitis C awareness campaign, which specifically targets the South Asian community. With higher rates of Hepatitis C in South Asian countries, South Asian communities within the UK may also be at greater risk. The site provides advice and information relevant to South Asian communities.

Ethnic Minority Cancer Awareness week is from 3rd to 10th July 2010. The week aims to raise awareness of cancer within ethnic minority communities- although cancer can affect anyone, some ethnic groups are more at risk of certain cancers than others. African-Caribbean men are three times more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than white men, mouth cancer is more common among South Asian communities and liver cancer is higher among Bangladeshi and Chinese communities. In addition to this, awareness of cancer and uptake of some cancer services is lower in ethnic minority communities, which can result in poorer survival rates. For more information, please visit the EMCAW website, or see Briefing 1 for information on improving palliative care for black and minority communities.

To celebrate the launch of the Better Health site, the Race Equality Foundation will be giving members of the Better Health community the opportunity to win an 8gb iPod Nano with Camera. Each month, one name will be selected from all site users who post on the forum. We are keen to hear your thoughts and feedback, so please do get involved and tell us your thoughts on the briefing papers, resource collection or current health issues.

Delivering Race Equality is collaborating with the LankellyChase Foundation to offer funding for the Free and Quiet Minds programme.

Focussing on the needs of the most rejected and ignored people in society; it specifically looks to help individuals who have been detained in psychiatric hospitals, people from black and minority ethnic communities with mental health problems and destitute asylum seekers. The funding will provide project support for up to 10 BME and Mental Health groups over the next 12 months and funding can be agreed for up to 3 years. For details on funding guidelines and to apply, please visit the LankellyChase website.

The growing size and diversity of the proportion of the UK population who were born overseas have important implications for meeting health needs and for planning and delivering health services. By bringing together available evidence, this briefing outlines some important issues for the health of migrants in the UK today. It also suggests ways in which research, policy and practice might address barriers to health, well-being and health care in meeting the needs of migrants.

Diabetes UK, in association with Travellers’ Times and the Rural Media company, has produced 'Don’t’ leave it too late' – an audio resource designed to raise awareness of the seriousness of diabetes and the importance of acting early to reduce the risk of developing complications. For more information, or to order the CD , please visit the Diabetes UK website.

The mental health charity, Mind, is currently asking for feedback on the Delivering Race Equality (DRE) programme, which is due to be succeeded in 2010 by the New Horizons programme. Mind would like to hear the opinions of people from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities and all those involved in the delivery of DRE to help them assess whether progress has been made in developing mental health services. To give feedback, please visit the Mind website.

The Association of Public Health Observatories and Department of Health have recently developed a toolkit to help Primary Care Trusts and local authorities tackle inequalities in health. It is designed to assist evidence-based local service planning and commissioning, including Joint Strategic Needs Assessments.

The closing date for responding to the Department of Health's consultation on access to the NHS for foreign nationals is 30 June.

The proposals deal with issues which directly impact on the health of asylum seekers, including whether refused asylum seekers on S4 and S95 and unaccompanied children should be exempted from charges for NHS hospital treatment. The consultation response form and details of how to respond are on the Department of Health website.

High levels of salt can increase blood pressure, and lead to conditions such as stroke, heart attacks and heart failures

Consensus Action On Salt and Health have recently issued a press release targeting high levels of salt in bought South Asian cuisine, drawing attention in particular to 'secret salt' hidden in side dishes, including naan bread, poppadums, chutneys/pickles and rice. With some dishes containing more than the recommended amount of salt for a whole day (6g), a spokesman for the British Heart Foundation recommends their free South Asian recipe book. For more information on the CASH report, please visit their website.

Effective methods of engaging black and minority ethnic communities within health care settings

Barriers to effective engagement with black and minority ethnic communities include those of language, communication and culture, as well as a lack of diversity in the health care workforce. A range of methods exists that can be utilised to enhance engagement with black and minority ethnic communities, as shown by the existence of good practice examples from London, Leeds and Bradford.

The social consequences of sickle cell and thalassaemia: improving the quality of support

Sickle cell and thalassaemia are some of the UK's most common genetic inherited conditions, with sickle cell disorder predominant amongst individuals of West/Central African or African Caribbean heritage, whilst thalassaemia is more common amongst people of Mediterranean and Southern European, Asian, Middle Eastern and Far Eastern origin.

Although screening for the disorders has improved and is increasingly common, racism still has an impact upon treatment and care for black and minority ethnic people. There is evidence that myths and stereotypes, primarily regarding African and Caribbean patients, influence health practitioners' perceptions of the pain experienced by patients. The paper also highlights the social consequences of the conditions, such as for children in education, arguing that culturally sensitive care, information and support are essential to ensure that carriers are able to make informed decisions regarding their healthcare needs.

Migration and Mental Health have issued a call for papers for a special journal edition dedicated to the discussion and analysis of new initiatives in the field of migration and mental health. Papers are welcome from a wide range of disciplines, including nursing, medicine, psychiatry, law, social work, sociology, occupational therapy, religious studies, anthropology, cultural studies, and from health and human services workers, mental health professionals, mental health policy administrators, educators and academic researchers.

The Department of Health has recently published 'Inclusion Health', a report which focuses on improving the way that the NHS delivers personalised and responsive care to the most vulnerable and excluded members of society. Although black and minority ethnic groups are only mentioned briefly, many of the problems identified and recommendations put forward by the report will be of critical importance for disadvantaged members of these communities.

Acknowledging the low health aspirations and expectations of socially excluded individuals, the report promotes the use of advocates to ensure that strategic decisions address the needs of services users who might otherwise feel ‘invisible’ or discriminated against. Emphasis is also given to the impact of chaotic lifestyles or complex circumstances, and the need for flexible and tailored responses to ensure continuity of care from specialist and mainstream services. For more information, please read the full report.

The Marmot Review into health inequalities in England was published on 11 February 2010. It is a response to the Commission on Social Determinants of Health report, which recommended that national governments introduce strategies to tackle health inequity. Taking an evidence-based approach to tackling health inequalities, the Review acknowledges the role of socio-economic factors, such as income or education, on lifespan and quality of life. Whilst ethnicity is not mentioned as a discrete category in the report, the interaction between ethnic heritage and social inequities is apparent as a theme throughout the Review.

Ethnicity and coronary heart disease: making sense of risk and improving care

Cardiovascular disease is predicted to become the dominant cause of death and disability across the globe over the next decade. With an apparently disproportionate susceptibility to cardiovascular disease (and related conditions and illnesses such as Coronary Heart Disease, stroke, diabetes), the causes and prevention of CVD is of critical importance to minority ethnic groups. This paper examines the complex interplay between the biological, psychosocial and behavioural causes of CHD, and considers the need for culturally appropriate services to increase awareness of coronary risk factors and support healthier lifestyles.

Towards race equality in advocacy services: people with learning disabilities from black and minority ethnic communities

‘least often heard and most often excluded’   (DH, 2009, p. 14)

People with learning disabilities from black and minority ethnic communities are almost always under-represented in the client base of both voluntary and statutory service providers, suffering ‘double discrimination’ when attempting to access services appropriate to their cultural and support needs. This paper outlines the importance of advocacy in overcoming these obstacles to support, to tackle problems of racism and cultural stereotyping, and linguistic barriers, both in terms of service provision and a lack of specific terminology in some community languages.

The NHS Constitution, published in 2009, was designed to set out patients’ rights to NHS services, and provide a coherent view of ‘what the NHS does, what it stands for and the commitments it should live up to’.

Aiming to protect and enforce the values and principles of the NHS, the Constitution outlines 25 rights for patients, covering issues such as access to services and quality of care. Amongst other things, the constitution sets out maximum waiting times for services, and proposes that patients should have a choice on where they receive their care, including end-of-life care.

Consultation on the Constitution is currently underway, and although this does not end until 5 February 2010, from 21 January all NHS organisations must consider the Constitution’s pledges when making decisions about the services they provide to patients. The Race Equality Foundation was asked by the Department of Health to provide feedback on the implications of the Constitution for black and minority ethnic groups. We carried out a number of consultation meetings with black and minority ethnic service users, carers and third sector organisations, and discussed some of the experiences and barriers faced in accessing and having health care. These findings were presented to a meeting of the Constitutional Advisory Forum chaired by Sir David Nicholson, NHS Chief Executive.

To link to the NHS Constitution, please see the Department of Health website.