Minutes:
The Consultant in Public Health (CPH) and the DPH updated the Committee.
The context of the report, that was focused on equalities, was explained and the CPH cited previous research that indicated that Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups were disproportionately impacted by, and more likely to die from, Covid-19. Research had also shown than BAME communities were less likely to access services and reported that their experience of such services was disproportionately negative.
Barking and Dagenham’s ethnic composition had changed considerably, with the BAME population constituting 65% of the population in 2019. In 2001, the figure was 19%. The CPH also highlighted that, compared to the White European residents, BAME residents were:
· Disproportionately living in older cohabiting households with dependent children;
· Disproportionately overweight, especially black adult women and black children. In the latter case, there was a higher level of obesity among young black boys of school age;
· More likely to develop cancers, with the mean age for BAME men to develop these being ten years less than white men;
· More likely to be diagnosed with diabetes at a younger age than white residents; and
· More likely to experience multimorbidity at a younger age with life expectancy among African and Afro-Caribbean men being, on average, seven years less than white male residents.
A lower proportion of BAME people experiencing multimorbidity lived in households that were receiving housing benefit and council tax benefit.
The CPH disclosed that Barking and Dagenham, along with Newham, had very high levels of structural inequalities compared to the rest of Greater London, with Barking and Dagenham having the worst figure. Social conditions, economic dynamics, population age and underlying conditions, combined with population density, explained the high figure.
The CPH explained that these factors contributed to the impact that Covid-19 had on the Borough’s residents and noted that:
· The number of Covid-19 cases among Asian communities was disproportionately higher, with overrepresentation among the Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities. The Asian communities were also overrepresented in relation to Covid-19 hospital admissions;
· Black African and Black Other were underrepresented among Covid-19 cases; and
· The average age of Black African and Black Other admitted to hospital was 73 years, compared to 80 years for White residents.
In relation to the Covid-19 mortality rate:
· The mortality rate for Bangladeshi, Pakistani, other Asian, as well as White Other was higher than for people identifying as White British;
· Pakistanis, Black African and Afro-Caribbean were of a lower average age at the time of death;
· Mortality rates of Adult Social Care Clients had increased by one third, rising from 13% to 17%; and
· 25% of young people were concerned about their mental health during lockdown.
The CPH outlined the further exploratory work that would be undertaken, citing the need to future proof services in the face of changing demographics as well as to reach out to communities where there was a low take-up of services. The CPH added that this would also need to be carried out with the Council’s health partners.
A board member, noting the comments of the CPH in relation to youth mental health, disclosed that attempts to secure additional funding from the Integrated Care Service (ICS) had been unsuccessful. The Integrated Care Director (ICD) from NELFT disclosed that additional funding had been granted to Newham and Waltham Forest and this was a decision of the ICS.
The Chair expressed her dissatisfaction with this disclosure, noting that both boroughs received more funding per child than Barking and Dagenham. The Deputy Chair, who sat on the board of NELCCG, said that he would investigate why the award was given.
The Chair then noted that the report showed that bespoke approaches to communities was required rather than a general approach. The Deputy Chair responded that this was being undertaken and noted that the vaccination programme was a good example of joint working. It was intended that this would be expanded.
The Board noted the update.