In February 2021, ADPH London released a position statement supporting Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. This statement highlights racism as a public health issue, given the immediate and structural factors that have impacted these communities and it is vital that we develop approaches to take action. As part of ADPH London’s commitment to mitigate any further widening of inequalities between Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities and White British people, the position statement highlights the following five themes for action development:

1. Trust and cohesion: We support the work of the wider system in recognising ethnic identity, being aware of the term ‘BAME’ and will focus on building trust and cohesion with communities, understanding what it is, and how we build and strengthen this.
2. Improving ethnicity data collection and research: The programme will focus on improving ethnicity data collection and research, and exploring ethnic identity with communities and the wider system.
3. Diversifying the workforce and encouraging systems leadership: Work is already taking place in the wider system with London Councils planning ethnicity pay reporting and race equality standards for London local authorities. Our plan will focus on public health recruitment and mentoring support for those from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds (entry to senior level).
4. Co-production with communities: The programme will focus on supporting public health professionals and wider partners in understanding co-production and what good practice looks like.
5. Embedding public health work in social and economic policy: We will focus on bringing our public health voice to raise awareness on structural racism in wider determinants including housing and employment.

The report also acknowledges the many new and outstanding efforts to reduce racism in London, but found the impacts remain starkly evident, manifesting, particularly, in ethnic inequalities in poverty, housing, employment, pay and career progression.

IHE researchers also highlight the well-documented marked inequalities among ethnic groups in maternal and child health and mental illness, alongside experiences with the criminal justice system and healthcare services more widely.

The IHE is calling for greater accountability, particularly from leaders, institutions and employers to prevent racism from continuing unchecked and to improve the lives of people who experience it.

As a result, the review includes the following recommendations: –

• Ensure all employers pay the London Living Wage and eliminate inequalities in pay by ethnicity.
• Greater London Authority to develop and lead on anti-racism approach for all employers in London.
• Strengthen enforcement of legal requirements for non-discriminatory recruitment and support people into work and training by building co-designed programmes with affected groups.
• Reports on racism to be investigated by independent bodies not by employers.

Dr Sandra Husbands, and Dr Catherine Mbema, Co-chairs of the ADPH London; Public Health Tackling Racism & Inequality Programme said:

“We welcome this report and are pleased to see that it echoes the position statement released by ADPH London in February of 2021, which highlighted racism as a public health issue and made a commitment  to develop approaches to take action.”

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For more information on the Public Health Tackling Racism and Inequality programme, please get in touch with lee.pinkerton@cityandhackneyph.hackney.gov.uk