improving government service delivery to minority ethnic ... - NCCRI

Benchmarking
The issue of data collection and ethnic monitoring is dealt with in the Racial Strategy, 120 which states,
“ Departments already hold an extensive amount of data on individuals, but the
information currently held about people from minority ethnic backgrounds is
incomplete…we need to establish baselines…assess the information currently
available…gaps in the information.
120_OFMDFM (2005)
A Racial Equality Strategy
for Northern Ireland
2005–10, p.48.
121_www.armagh.gov.uk/
equality.php
122_Kmietowicz, Z (2004)
British Medical Journal, Vol.
328, pp786.
We will work to improve administrative data in areas such as housing, education,
employment, health, etc and where possible enhance surveys to provide a specific
focus on minority ethnic people.”
Northern Ireland Census
The 2001 Northern Ireland Census recorded 14,279 adults and children coming from minority ethnic
communities. Categories in the 2001 Census were: White, Irish Traveller, Mixed, Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani,
Other Asian, Black Caribbean, Black African, Black Other, Chinese and Other. Consultation for the 2011
Census found that these current ethnic classifications such as the ‘white’ category did not distinguish between
someone born and bred in Northern Ireland from someone living in Northern Ireland but born in Eastern Europe,
thus the categories were restrictive. Also ‘elsewhere’ for Country of Birth now included a number of other
countries which could be added to the list and cover the home countries of the numerous migrant workers
(perhaps expand on this – not immediately clear what is meant). It has been suggested that a question on
nationality and/or citizenship should be included in the 2011 Census. This has started to be recognised and
is being proposed by Armagh City and District Council in the Equality Impact Assessment of their Equality
Opportunities Policy. 121
Since the 2001 Census there has been a marked growth in the numbers of migrant workers coming to work
in Northern Ireland. Animate, an organisation providing research and information about migrant workers to the
local population in Dungannon and surrounding areas argues that because the migrant population is fluid and
changing, any exercise to produce a head count will be out of date before it is completed. Currently figures
for estimating numbers of migrant workers are calculated from the Worker Registration Scheme, numbers
of overseas staff employed in the health sector, use of interpreting services, Trade Union membership and
requests for National Insurance Numbers; thus the potential for inaccuracies is high.
Benchmarking: Health
“ Information collected is often seen as irrelevant to patient care and focused on the
needs of the ‘centre’ rather than frontline service delivery. In particular, more effort is
needed to involve clinical staff in validating and using information produced.” 122
Within the health service data is collected on the Patient Administration System (PAS). However, it was
reported that although ethnicity is on the data system, those completing the details rarely record the information
and even when it is recorded it does not provide the necessary information such as the language spoken.
Reasons for not recording included the placement of the question on the computer system, occurring after
what is viewed as essential personal information thus the data collector does not complete the fields.