New reports highlight health inequalities faced by BAME and disabled people

Public Health England’s report published earlier this month brought into sharp focus the health inequalities faced by Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The report follows research published by the Quality Care Commission which showed that the deaths of people with learning disabilities in England had increased by 134% during the coronavirus pandemic. 

These shocking findings sadly come as no surprise. We know from our own work with BAME families with disabled children they often face a double disadvantage when trying to access services.

Una Summerson, head of campaigns at Contact says: “We are extremely disappointed to see that the Public Health England report failed to make one single recommendation about how to reduce these inequalities for either BAME families or people with learning disability or autism.  

“We understand this responsibility has now been handed over to the government’s Race Disparity Unit. We urge them to work closely with the government’s Disability Unit – part of the Equalities Hub at the Cabinet Office – to now come up with robust plans to tackle the systematic disadvantage facing disabled people from BAME communities.”    

You can read Public Health Englands report in full here.