Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Disorders: Ethnic Groups
(asked on 26th February 2025) - View Source
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce health disparities amongst ethnic minority communities in the treatment of (a) arthritis and (b) musculoskeletal conditions.
The Race Equality Foundation’s report, Musculoskeletal conditions and Black, Asian and minority ethnic people: addressing health inequalities, commissioned by what was then Public Health England, identified that some Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups in the United Kingdom are disproportionately represented due to the risk factors for musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. MSK pain is more widespread among people in minority ethnic groups that may reflect social, cultural and psychological differences. The report is available at the following link:
We have set a Health Mission with the aim of tackling the social determinants of health such as those described in the report, focusing on prevention, and ensuring that everyone lives longer, healthier lives. We have also committed to delivering a 10-Year Health Plan, which will set out a bold agenda to deliver on the three big shifts needed, to move healthcare from the hospital to the community, from analogue to digital, and from treatment to prevention. Addressing healthcare inequity is a core focus of the 10-Year Health Plan, including for people from minority ethnic groups.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning services that meet the needs of their local population, including for MSK conditions such as arthritis. Under the Health and Care Act 2022, ICBs have a duty to consider reducing inequalities with respect to people’s ability to access services within the National Health Service and the outcomes achieved for them by the provision of those health services, including for people from ethnic minority backgrounds.