A ST HELENS doctor has joined a regional advisory group set up in response to a review into the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities.
Dr Mike Ejuoneatse, lead governing body GP at NHS St Helens Clinical Commissioning Group, has been accepted on to the NHS England North West BAME advisory group for a fixed two-year period.
It comes after a Public Health England (PHE) review published last week confirmed that coronavirus has been killing people from ethnic minorities at disproportionately high rates.
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The review looked at disparities on the impact of COVID-19 on different groups and gave compelling evidence that BAME communities are at far greater risk than white communities.
Following the review, a formal NHS BAME advisory group has now been established in the North West.
Dr Ejuoneatse, a GP at Central Surgery in St Helens town centre, said: “I’m pleased to be joining this group along with other NHS colleagues from across the North West, which we hope can really make a real and sustainable difference, not only in terms of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic among minority groups, but to also ensure that the BAME community has a real voice in terms of holding the NHS to account in the region.”
The BAME advisory group will be chaired by Bill McCarthy, regional director of NHS England/Improvement, alongside Evelyn Asante-Mensah, chair of Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust.
Ms Asante-Mensah recently joined the COVID-19 senior incident management group (IMG) to take a particular BAME perspective on the management of the epidemic in the North West region.
The group will formally advise the regional director and the incident management group with a two-fold purpose.
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This is to advise from a BAME perspective on the management of the epidemic by the NHS in the North West, which will include reviewing evidence and actions taken and proposing additional actions, and to advise on progress with the NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard and other NHS matters of concern to BAME staff and communities in the North West.
This may include access to services, staff experience and career progression.
It is intended that the group will be able to advise the North West region beyond the pandemic, setting key priorities for progress and holding the NHS region to account.
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