News

Quality care needs equality

Accountability is the keyword of the commission for Racial Equality’s new code of practice on anti-discrimination in primary health care services.

The guidelines listed in the code of practice, issued last month, are in large part the CRE’s response to the 1990 NHS and Community Care Act. With the contracting out of some primary health care services, the CRE aims to guarantee that monitoring of racial equality records is continued. One way suggested is to include performance indicators of race equality practices in any approved list of contractors and to stipulate these in contracts.

The code of practice is not legally enforceable, but backs up the provisions of the 1976 Race Relations Act under which those failing to meet up to its terms can be brought to account and made to pay a complainant adequate compensation for injury to feelings.

The new guidelines call for a system of accountability whereby all ranks of the health service ensure that progress is maintained. Among the suggestions is the setting up, where possible, of race equality committees including GPs, members of ethnic minority communities and members of the health authority. These would take overall responsibility for ensuring that the terms of the Race Relations Act are implemented.

The report cites cases of racial discrimination in primary health care services which range from direct discrimination to victimisation and third party pressure to discriminate.

A positive way of combatting discrimination is a district health authority which funds a centre specialising in counselling and screening for sickle cell anaemia and thalassaemia for Afican, Caribbean, Asian and Mediterranean communities.

Race equality training for all NHS staff plays a large part in the CRE’s recommendations. Full participation by ethnic minority communities in such training is essential. Targetting of ethnic communities by appropriate use

of translations, placement of job adverisements and availability of trained language instructors is emphasised. Language is singled out as a major area where improvements in race equality standards can be made.

For example, the CRE suggests that pharmacists should have prescription instructions on medicines displayed in all the languages appropriate to the local community.

The Race Relations Code of Practice in primary health care services is available from the CRE, price £1.50