The Coalition Government recognises the contribution of BME Carers                                            

For Immediate Release: Thursday 1st of July

Minister of State for Social Care Paul Burstow made his maiden speech on race equality in health (this week) at The Afiya Trust and the National Black Carers & Carers Workers Network’s roundtable consultation with mainstream agencies and carer organisations on the future needs of BME carers in Britain.

Support for carers still remains woefully inadequate, but the experience of black and minority ethnic (BME) carers is further compounded by structural disadvantage and the marginalisation of race equality in government social policy.

The Minister praised the contribution of BME carers, but acknowledged that more had to done to provide support to meet their specific and individual needs. He heard the recommendations from The Afiya Trust and BME carers, which may influence the government’s plans to refresh the current National Carers Strategy and the plans on the funding of long term care.

Paul Burstow MP said: “Poor planning in councils and health authorities need to be challenged and that certain urban myths need debunking regarding the perception of BME communities.  He further added that “access has to be improved, service providers should be more aware of cultural differences and that not everyone recognised the label of Carer.”

The Minister noted that barriers had to be removed so BME communities can get the help they need. Poor planning in councils and health authorities had to be challenged along with certain urban myths within public sector organisations, he urged.

Patrick Vernon, Chief Executive of the Afiya Trust, said: “Mainstream organisations can and should be responsive to the specific needs of BME carers, but the low take-up of mainstream services is often attributed to the characteristics of BME carers rather than to institutional barriers and culturally inappropriate support. The Afiya Trust wants to ensure that robust equalities impact taken place in plans around cuts in services for carers and their families.”

Ghzala Ahmad one of the carers who spoke at the event and who met the Minister added: “In its attempt to reform health and social care, the coalition government has acknowledged that service users and carers should be at the centre of policy development.  However opportunities for meaningful participation remain minimal for BME carers. I hope the Minister regularly consults with us and listens to our concerns as we are part of the solution.”  The Minister said that the coalition government had to connect with hearts and minds and we welcome connecting fully to create a just and fair society.

The outcome from the BME Carers Roundtable event will inform The Afiya Trust’s recommendations outlined in its recently published framework for action Achieving Equality in Health and Social Care.

NOTES TO EDITORS

• The Afiya Trust aims to reduce inequalities in health and social care for racialised groups. The Trust is an important bridge between policy makers, service providers and BME communities as consumers of services. 
• The Afiya Trust is a national charity that works to reduce inequalities in health and social care provision for people from racialised communities. We support and maintain national and local networks concerned with the promotion of BME health and social care issues such as the National BME Mental Health Network, the National Black Carers & Carers Workers Network as well as projects on long term conditions such as strokes, diabetes and cancer. We liaise and work with central government departments and policymakers, and service user and carer involvement is at the heart of all our work.
• The key recommendations from The Afiya Trust’s Achieving Equality in Health and Social Care for the new coalition government to deliver on in its first two years in office include:

  • Establish a race and health advisory board to report directly to the Secretary of State for Health and the Chief Medical Officer.
  • Service user and carer leadership in the evaluation of health and social care services.
  • Set milestones to eradicate racial inequalities in health, linked to performance targets for primary care trusts, GPs, local authorities and mental health trusts.
  • Conduct an Equality Impact Assessment on the forthcoming cuts in public expenditure to minimise the adverse impact on BME communities.
• Photographs are taken by Xenia Demetriou.

CONTACT

For media enquiries, please contact:
Patrick Vernon at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 07976731539
Nita Devabhai at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 07931798665