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A debate has arisen in the UK as to whether donated semen and eggs should come from people of another 'racial' group to the recipient. Meanwhile, children born to Asian women with low birthweights appear to catch up with other children, and their low birth weights appear to result from poverty rather than genetic factors. Ethnic health issues have tended to be ignored in the UK government's drive to improve health education in the UK but there is a move to improve awareness in the National Health Service (NHS) of racism and sexism and the way it can affect NHS staff.

The health concerns of minority ethnic and black communities in the United Kingdom are recognised and addressed in the Chief Medical Officer of Health for England and Wales' annual report. The report notes that health authorities must know the ethnic proportions in its region to provide appropriate health care services. Other social service and health issues concerning minorities are examined, including race discrimination in the employment of doctors, implementation of community care and the promotion of a multi-cultural healthy lifestyle.

A series of 20 'Topic Volumes' will be published containing data from the 1991 Census in the UK relating to specific areas of analysis, including an issue on Ethnic Group and Country of Birth. The volumes provide data on either a regional or national level and consequently facilitate more complex analysis. Census data on the question of ethnic group will also be used in other volumes. Twenty tables will be included in the Ethnic Group and Country of Birth Topic Volume, providing analysis for areas such as the labour market for ethnic minorities and the ethnic origin of immigrants.

The 1991 Census included ethnic group data, available as county reports or local statistics in table form. It will enable the needs, location and characteristics of ethnic minorities to be analysed in some detail, rather than relying on sample surveys.

'The Health of the Nation' consultative document by the UK government promises to focus on the health of vulnerable groups, but makes little provision for blacks and ethnic minorities. The document omits any details of funding and target deadlines. It also ignores the fact that many ethnic minority patients experience poor care, due to racist treatment or lack of cultural awareness within the National Health Service (NHS). The Dept of Health's planned charter will require the NHS to respect patients' cultural and religious beliefs, and Trusts and local Health Authorities will have to prove their compliance. Minority communities are affected by genetic conditions. Ethnic origin will have to be included in NHS information systems in future, to establish levels of use of NHS services by minority groups.

The UK govt's proposed Citizen's Charter is assumed to be as beneficial to blacks as other ethnic groups. The Charter is based on non-discrimination, however it does not specify freedom from racial harassment as a right. In medical care, genetic origin is important in human health status, however 'race' as a biological notion is incorrect, according to Dr Webb. At present, a Black Community Care Charter is being compiled with the backing of the National Association of Race Equality Advisers. It is of the greatest importance that doctors have an effective relationship with their patients from ethnic minorities. In the realm of publishing, materials portraying black perspectives are becoming more available. In child placement, more attention needs to be given to cultural concerns.

There is a sense in which this book is a follow-up to the editors' 1991 volume Demands and Constraints (A. Bowes and D. Sim, Demands and Constraints: Ethnic Minorities and [...]

The NHS and its clinical workforce are committed to evidence-based practice, which requires quality evidence to assist and justify change. Such evidence can be used to inform best practice and to create new standards. The risk is that where needs are under-researched, developments - and resources - can be delayed until relevant research is conducted and completed to adequate standards. New research governance regulations have spelled out what these standards should be. However, black and minority ethnic communities, and individuals, express a high level of 'research fatigue', feeling that they have been the objects of much previous research and experimentation. They therefore question whether there is any reason for delays in the implementation of change. The problem is that 'validated' research often excludes their experiences, while that which includes them is rarely 'best practice' or 'peer-reviewed' research. Nevertheless, it does create evidence, and often the research generated by, or based within, communities holds considerable detail and insight. However, it is not 'owned' in turn by the NHS and the scientific establishment.The research governance regulations provide a framework that might lead to new understandings of best practice in research, create ownership, and generate more inclusive, equitable research with greater validity in a multi-cultural society. Researchers are urged to consider what would assist them to ensure that their studies meet this ideal and comply with scientific and community-based moral standards. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Presents letters in the March 1993 issue of British Medical Journal. Views on the racial discrimination in the medical profession; Opinions regarding age discrimination in the promotion and recruitment of senior health personnel; Comments regarding the mortality rate of asthma.

The evolution and application of Section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966, are discussed, and the requirements for the receipt of grant are described. These include meeting criteria of additionality, ‘special need’ and consultation. Each of these creates particular problems for local authorities, whose services are normally determined by offices, guided by statute and responsible to local councillors. For these and other reasons, the policy has been extensively criticised. Central Government has recently set in motion a review of Section 11, which provides in excess of £100m annually for meeting some of the needs felt by ethnic minorities. This article is based on a study which examined the application of Section 11 within the field of personal social services. It concludes that each of the charges levelled by the critics has some validity but that the policy has evolved to meet many of them. Further, there is evidence that Section 11 can be a highly valuable resource in sustaining equal opportunity policies under certain conditions. These conditions are not generated by the policy itself so that, at best, Section 11 monies act to facilitate intentions that arise elsewhere in the policy process. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Current political debate appears to centre on ‘capturing the moral high ground'; a process into which the realm of religion is inevitably drawn. Clearly the Christian churches have a history of contribution both to ‘inner city’ and ‘race relations’ issues, and equally they cannot stand aside from the political dimensions of their action. Yet at the same time there is cause for disquiet over that record, and an awareness of self‐interest in such altruism. However, it is simultaneously convenient for Government to utilise the Churches and their associates for its own ends in inner city policy — providing that it does not thereby lose control. This article seeks to examine how the Churches are facing up to such new challenges and opportunities, and places these in the context of their history. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the context of a funded survey, by Great Britain's Economic and Social Research Council, for the relationship between ethnicity, race and consumer satisfaction with local authority services in the West Midlands in England, data were collected on religious affiliation and observance along with other information on social characteristics, as of July 1, 1987. It is evident that there are fairly strong linkages between geographical or racial origin and religious affiliation, but that these linkages are not necessarily straightforward. Religious affiliation is at times a better predictor of behavior and perhaps attitude than the group membership predicated on the basis of physical attributes or visible signs. Given the significance of religion in cultural formation, friendship networks and identity, it should be regarded as incumbent upon those investigating correlates of group membership in the field of racial and ethnic relations to include consideration of the dimension of religious affiliation.

The author reflects on the importance of including minority ethnic groups in research associated with asthma. It states asthma is a condition that is often associated with a reaction to exposure to increased levels of pollutants. He states the importance of creating respect and working relationships between marginalized minority communities and researchers for long run benefits.

The author reflects on end of life care that is provided to ethnic minorities. He suggests that providers need to overcome their fear of dealing with people from different backgrounds. He argues that If patients' educational needs are not met through equal and fair access to services, then inequalities in health care will result.