A new report, Ethnic Inequalities in Healthcare: A Rapid Evidence Review, commissioned by the NHS Race and Health Observatory reveals that.
“Racism, racial discrimination, barriers to accessing healthcare and woeful ethnicity data collection have “negatively impacted” the health of black, Asian and minority ethnic people in England for years… Ethnic inequalities in health outcomes [from mental health to maternity care] are evident at every stage throughout the life course, from birth to death… The evidence on the poor healthcare outcomes for many ethnic minority groups across a range of services is overwhelming, and convincing.” (1)
The review concludes that inequalities in access to, experiences of, and outcomes of healthcare in the NHS “are rooted in experiences of structural, institutional and interpersonal racism”. (2)
The NHS through a spokesperson responded:
“The pandemic has shone a stark light on health inequalities across the country and the NHS is already taking action to improve the experiences of patients and access to services… and is already working closely with the Race and Health Observatory to drive forward the recommendations set out in this report.” (3)
But such lofty pronouncements might be undermined by the government’s proposed Health and Care Bill, that critics say paves the way for the NHS to be replaced by a profit-driven, American-style health care system. The Bill that includes plans for 42 independently run Integrated Care Systems would certainly make a global strategy across the entire health service more challenging. (4)
Moreover, the fact that in the USA system “African Americans still experience illness and infirmity at extremely high rates and have lower life expectancy than other racial and ethnic groups” does not bode well for their UK based counterparts. (5)
This prognosis must lead Afrikans to give serious consideration to health care alternatives. Examples of such acts of self-reliance are dotted throughout our history with the UNIA-ACL’s Black Cross Nurses and the Black Panther Party’s free medical clinics worthy of note. (6)
More recently and also within the framework of Nationbuilding was the interim National Afrikan People’s Parliament’s draft Manifesto, which included in its Health and Wellness agenda the following:
“• Develop a holistic National Health Action Plan, to tackle the health and wellness deficits of Afrikan people in the UK (including social and physical environmental factors) and for the restoration of optimum health and wellness on a national level.
• Establish culturally appropriate holistic health and wellness centres for conducting extensive research, training of health practitioners, promoting public education and dispensing health care and treatment (combining conventional and traditional healing arts and sciences).” (7)
Currently we have Nassential healthcare that are seeking to take holistic health to the next level. Their mission is to:
“Become the “Go to People” in all matters of alternative medicine, health and wellness. Our ethos is to educate and promote holistic living.” (8)
The challenge then, if we continue to experience poor health outcomes via the state, is how to develop a framework to develop health services for the community.
(1) Dharmi Kapadia, Jingwen Zhang, Sarah Salway, James Nazroo, Andrew Booth, Nazmy Villarroel-Williams, Laia Bécares & Aneez Esmail (2022) Ethnic Inequalities in Healthcare: A Rapid Evidence Review. NHS Race and Health Observatory. https://www.nhsrho.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/RHO-Rapid-Review-Final-Report_v.7.pdf. p. 21
(2) Andrew Gregory (13/02/22) Radical action needed to tackle racial health inequality in NHS, says damning report. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/feb/13/radical-action-needed-to-tackle-racial-health-inequality-in-nhs-says-damning-report?fbclid=IwAR1svlxRNd2avKoSe5sHTcOIcRqHgomamtdEdSZnykRg-xZL7yM4psMJ6_o
(3) Ibid.
(4) Evie Breese (05/01/22) 5 new laws for 2022 – and what they mean for your rights. https://www.bigissue.com/news/politics/5-new-laws-for-2022-and-what-they-mean-for-your-rights/
(5) Jamila Taylor (19/12/19) Racism, Inequality, and Health Care for African Americans. https://tcf.org/content/report/racism-inequality-health-care-african-americans/?agreed=1
(6) Natanya Duncan (07/02/11) The Efficient Women of the UNIA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKNTvAR3SDM&t=169s; Keisha N. Blain (2018) Set the World on Fire Black Nationalist Women and the Global Struggle for Freedom. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 30; Diane Pien (09/07/20) Black Panther Party’s Free Medical Clinics (1969-1975). https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/institutions-african-american-history/black-panther-partys-free-medical-clinics-1969-1975/
(7) Interim National Organising Committee (INOC) (28/11/15) MANIFESTO: Working Draft For Community Consultation. interim National Afrikan People’s Parliament.
(8) Nassential (2021) About US. https://nassential.farm/about/
we ask the question:
Is it time for our OWN National Health Service?
1) Were you surprised by the NHS reports findings?
2) Are you aware of the Health and Care Bill and its proposals?
3) Will a USA style health service improve outcomes for Afrikans in the UK?
4) How were the UNIA-ACL and Black Panther Party able to deliver health care programmes?
5) Do we need a Nationbuilding framework to establish our own health service?
Our Special Guests:
Bro. Dexter Andrews: Managing Director Nassential Ltd. He is a businessman Cannabis advocate and co-founder of Nassential healthcare which is a private doctors surgery Black owned and offers holistic and modern medic services. We plan to be the black BUPA one day a health service by us for us
Dr. Aubrey Oliver: is a functional Holistic Medicine Physician, trained through Ashford University Complementary and Alternative Medicine program. Additionally, he is a licensed Bioenergetics (Cell Regeneration, Rejuvenation and Adult Stem cells activation) Therapist and “Theocentric Healing Specialist.” Dr Oliver has extensive experience in Phytonutrients and cannabis science.