Thread by @ProfKevinFenton

1/8 @LondonADPH have issued a policy position to support BAME communities in London during and beyond the #COVID19 pandemic.

I also recognise that “racism is a public health issue” – here’s a thread on why. ⬇️

Full position statement here: adph.org.uk/networks/londo…

2/8 There is no doubt that the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on BAME groups across the UK. @FPH, @HealthFdn and now @LondonADPH have all implicated racism as a key factor influencing the mounting data.

@NHSEnglandLDN @NHS_RHO @londoncouncils @NHSEnglandLDN @PHE_uk

3/8 Addressing the inherent social and structural components shows how racism permeates our everyday lives.

Geography, deprivation, housing, employment, occupational exposure, mental and physical health are all factors skewed to negatively impact the health of BAME communities.

4/8 The impact of these longstanding social and economic inequalities and the increased clinical risk of #COVID19 complications and death, paired with structural racism, discrimination, stigma, fear and mistrust make for an incredibly complex problem to solve.

5/8 We heard these issues loud and clear from over 4000 people in @PHE_UK’s ‘Beyond the data’ report: gov.uk/government/pub…

Developing a deeper understanding of possible links between racism and health and addressing it is central to eliminating racialised health disparities.

6/8 As public health practitioners, many of us will share the belief that collective efforts can help evoke social change and more generally reduce racialised health disparities and inequality.

So what will you do?

7/8 @LondonADPH make some fantastic recommendations:

▶️ Build trust and cohesion
▶️ Co-produce with communities
▶️ Improve ethnicity data collection and research
▶️ Embed public health work in social and economic policy
▶️ Diversify the workforce and encourage systems leadership

8/8 Thank you @LondonADPH for leading the way in our city. The #COVID19 pandemic has shone a light on health disparities, and now is the time for us to recognise the connection between structural racism and racialised disparities in health – and make change happen.