Question to the Department of Health and Social Care

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to help tackle the disproportionate effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on BAME communities.

Answer (Lord Bethell)

The Government is committed to reducing disparities in health outcomes experienced by black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities during this pandemic and are already taking action to do so. This includes developing effective risk assessment tools for schools and workplaces, expanding and targeting testing in high-contact professions, and working with the Race Disparity Unit to ensure that we have appropriate personal protective equipment reaching the right places. This is in addition to the wider work being taken forward by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities (Kemi Badenoch MP) to understand the drivers behind Public Health England’s findings on COVID-19 and BAME communities.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with each NHS trust in England about the implementation of the recommendations of Public Health England’s review Beyond the data: Understanding the impact of COVID-19 on BAME groups, published in June.

Answer (Lord Bethell)

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities (Kemi Badenoch MP) is reviewing the findings from Public Health England’s (PHE) reports to better understand the drivers behind the disparities and the relationships between the different risk factors. Her work will take into account PHE’s recommendations and help us to improve understanding of the virus and who it affects so we can build on the existing action we are already taking to tackle health inequalities.

Within the health and care sector, all National Health Service employers were directed on 24 June by NHS England and NHS Improvement to make significant progress in deploying risk assessments for staff. NHS England and NHS Improvement have also established a Task and Finish Group, composed of a range of system leaders and voluntary sector partners, to focus on what specific, measurable actions should be taken by the NHS in the next few months. The Group will take account of feedback and ideas already received from black, Asian and minority ethnic organisations, the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, local systems and others.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional mental health support his Department is making available to (a) frontline workers, (b) people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities and (c) young people as covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

Answer (Ms Nadine Dorries)

We have ensured comprehensive packages of emotional and psychological support are available to all social care and National Health Service staff, building on existing support. This includes free access to a confidential helpline operated by Samaritans.

Recent reviews have confirmed the disparity of the impact and risks that COVID-19 has on those from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds. We have set out our intention to take forward further work under the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities (Kemi Badenoch MP) and through the Prime Minister’s Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities. NHS England and NHS Improvement are working closely with BAME experts and others to encourage timely access to NHS mental health services and improve BAME people’s experience of these services.

NHS children and young people’s mental health services have remained open throughout the pandemic and have deployed digital tools to connect with young people and provide ongoing support. We have published guidance to parents and carers on children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing on the GOV.UK and Every Mind Matters websites and we have provided additional funding of £5 million for mental health charities to support adults and children, including those from a BAME background, as well as a further £4.2 million, as part of the Government’s United Kingdom-wide £750 million package of support for the voluntary sector.

Found: Letter from Kemi Badenoch MP concerning Minister for Equalities on Coronavirus and BAME people None None

Yesterday, I raised this in the House of Commons with my colleague Kemi Badenoch MP. Local residents will be able to access this grant funding to improve home insulation & other green home improvements - keeping energy bills down and helping to protect the environment! 🌳 ♻️ 💡