Barts Health Equality and Human Rights Impact Assessment Report

www.brap.org.uksince the availability of local level data disaggregated by protected characteristic varies fromborough to borough. Furthermore, while one or two boroughs may hold data relating to race,gender, or age, there is a particular paucity of data regarding the newer characteristicsafforded protection by the Equality Act 2010: religion and belief, sexual orientation, andgender reassignment, for example.Where local-level data does exist, it suggests that people from a Black background will bedisproportionately affected by conditions such as chronic pulmonary disorder, tuberculosis,HIV and conditions that require admittance to psychiatric inpatient services. In contrast, 2008figures from the Eastern Region Public Health Observatory suggest the incidences ofcoronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension will be more prevalentamong White groups.Given the paucity of local-level data (relating to the protected characteristics contained in theEquality Act) it may be useful to extrapolate from what is known about the demographicprofile of the Barts Health catchment area. Greater London Assembly projections suggestthe catchment area 2 will contain a majority Black and minority ethnic (BME) population, withpeople from a Bangladeshi background comprising the largest ethnic group, followed byPakistanis and Black Africans. Nationally, levels of smoking are particularly high amongstBangladeshis, with smoking-related conditions rising as a result. Prevalence of diabetes isalso 13 times higher among children of a South Asian background.Whilst the reasons for differential health outcomes are complex and multifaceted, it isapparent that some communities are slow to identify and respond to illness such as diabetesand cancer. Furthermore, some ethnic groups – such as those from Other White, Chinese,and African backgrounds – are less likely to access primary care through, for example, GPservices which leads to a greater reliance on acute services when health problems come toa head.Actions proposed by Barts HealthPromoting health improvement and reducing health inequalities will be one of Barts Health’sfour strategic outcomes, and as such will be embedded in the work of CAGs (such groupswill, for example, be required to give the promotion of fairer outcomes due consideration inthe development of their medium- and long-term plans). Furthermore, there are extensiveplans for CAGs to liaise with local commissioners and patients when developing priorities,which will help ensure that the needs and views of local communities are reflected indecision making. This is in addition to plans to work with a range of North East Londonpartners, such as GPs, primary care teams, and Health and Wellbeing Boards. Finally, themerger’s Full Business Case also highlights plans to review the development of appropriatemetrics used by CAGs to ensure delivering on health outcomes remains a central focus.2 Data relayed here is for a rough approximation of the Barts Health catchment area, encompassingthe boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets, and Waltham Forest.10