Indian Community (Hansard, 20 November 2003)

§ Miss Melanie Johnson

Members of black and minority ethnic communities, including the Indian community, are not a homogeneous group for health status, disease patterns or health behaviour. A number of studies, including Sir Donald Acheson's 'Independent Inquiry into Inequalities in Health', have shown that there are significant health inequalities among people from black and minority ethnic communities. These inequalities relate to differences in disease prevalence, differential access to services and differential delivery and take-up of services.

According to the Health Survey for England (1999), Indians experience higher rates of heart disease, diabetes and strokes. Women born in India have a 40 per cent. higher suicide rate than those born in England and Wales. The survey also found that oral cancer has a very high prevalence among the South Asian community (Indian, Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Sri Lankan), and rates of uptake of cervical screening among South Asian women are less than half those amongst the general population.

The Department of Health's strategy for meeting the needs of minority ethnic communities is to set action on race equality within the overall framework for planning and delivering the Department's priorities.

The NHS Plan recognises that we live in a diverse society and that ethnicity can be a key factor in health inequalities. The plan sets out as core principles that the national health service will shape its services around the needs of the patient, be responsive to the needs of different groups and individuals within society, including challenging racial discrimination.

In October 2003 the Department published "Delivering Race Equality: A Framework for Action" as a consultation document on black and minority ethnic health setting out what those planning, delivering and monitoring local primary care and mental health services for people from black and minority ethnic communities.

The Department is committed to transforming the NHS so that it produces faster, fairer services with equity of access for all. The creation of more equal access for black and minority ethnic people is an integral and vital aspect of the Department's programme of investment and reform.