BASW Cymru writes to Welsh Government to raise concerns about race equality in health and social care in Wales

A group of royal colleges and professional bodies, including BASW Cymru, has written to Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Health and Social Services in the Welsh National Assembly

A group of royal colleges and professional bodies, including BASW Cymru, has written to Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Health and Social Services in the Welsh National Assembly, in order to raise concerns about race equality in health and social care in Wales. You can read the full letter below:

Vaughan Gething, MS
Minister for Health and Social Services
National Assembly for Wales

20th November 2020

Dear Minister,

We are writing as a group of royal colleges and professional bodies to raise our concerns about race equality in health and social care in Wales.

This year the Covid-19 pandemic has magnified these inequities as it has impacted on both staff across the health and care sector and patients and people in care.

We sincerely welcome the Welsh Government’s commitment and development of a Race Equality Action Plan which will seek to provide the foundation for bringing about systematic and sustainable change for Wales. However, it is our view that to effectively address inequities the health and social care sector in Wales would need to mainstream policy further and that there should be more leadership at both a Board and strategic level.

We as professional bodies understand that we too have a part to play in challenging racism in all its forms for both our members and for the people who rely on the support they provide. We are all enacting our own programmes to support BAME therapists and to address the issues of racial inequality they face as students and qualified practitioners. We are ready to fully support positive and constructive action on behalf of staff, patients and service users but we would ask the NHS and local authorities to lead.

With that in mind could we ask:

  • What steps are being taken across the NHS and local authorities/social care to develop equalities policy at the strategic and board level?
  • What support will be made available to staff as they plan services, develop their professional careers, and deliver improved outcomes for patients, service users and carers?

Thank you for considering this letter. We continue to work closely with your officials on workforce development and education and it is our hope that across these policy areas we can make progress on racial equality.

This letter was jointly written by the following organisations, who would be glad to discuss any issues with you further.

Yours sincerely,

Allison Hulmes, National Director, Wales, British Association of Social Workers

Naila Noori, Policy Adviser (Wales), Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

Richard Huzzey, Policy Officer, British and Irish Orthoptic Society

Ross Barrow, Policy and Public Affairs Officer, Royal College of Podiatry

David Davies, Professional Practice Lead-Wales, Royal College of Occupational Therapists

Calum Higgins, Public Affairs and Policy Manager, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

Kevin Tucker, National Officer for Wales, The Society and College of Radiographers

Sandra Tyrell, Policy Officer (Wales), The British Dietetic Association