Agenda item

The Head of Insight and Innovation (HII) and the Consultant in Public Health (CPH) presented to the Board. The Council was undertaking a comprehensive analysis of structural inequalities faced by residents and how Covid-19 pandemic has compounded these.

The analysis looked at nine protected characteristics and sought to establish and understand disproportionate effects on residents based on those characteristics. The initial analysis examined structural inequalities based on three of the characteristics; age, gender and race.

The HII showed the board the model that would be used to carry out the analysis and invited the Board to suggest data points that they believed would be helpful promising that they would be considered. The model focused on social conditions, economic dynamics, population age, underlying health conditions, population density and social distancing.

Following questioning from the Board, HII explained that children and young people were included but that the terminology may not make that clear. However, the model structure would enable comparisons to be made when the report was completed. The Chair asked that, in relation to children and young people, obesity rates be made clear and that the rate of uptake of all recommended vaccinations be clearly defined.

In relation to social outcomes, the HII noted that Barking and Dagenham residents, compared to other London boroughs, scored the third worst outcome in London highlighting fuel poverty and child poverty. Regarding health outcomes, Barking and Dagenham had the worst health outcomes in London and that the difference between Barking and Dagenham and Newham, which was second, was 21 points.

An analysis was undertaken in relation to employment, revealing that there had been a considerable change in relation to the black and ethnic minority (BAME) population, aged between 18 and 24 between 2018 and 2019. The HII noted that, prior to the pandemic, young BAME people were more likely to work in sectors that have been affected by Covid-19, whereas a disproportionate number of white young people worked in industries that were relatively unaffected and the HII highlighted construction as one sector. More quantitative research would be undertaken to understand the causes of the discrepancy.

The HII then briefed the Board on mobility during Covid-19 and provided comparative data from Camden and the average for all of London. Barking and Dagenham residents had been more mobile than other London boroughs and during the early stages of the lockdown residents stayed at home, but that by October this had changed and residents largely stayed at home during weekends only.

The HII concluded that the data showed the nature of the employment a typical Barking and Dagenham resident was engaged in, adding that many had to be physically at their place of work. This was in contrast to Camden residents.

The CPH added that the annual public health report would be published in September 2021 and, in addition to the HII’s localised analysis, it would include national level data and NHS related analysis examining hospital admissions from an equality perspective. The report would be different from previous years as the key finding will cover more themes and there would be input from primary care network directors, NELCGG as well as other stakeholders.

The report would also inform the Council’s corporate plan.

The Board noted the report.