Seminar Six

  Evidence into practice: increasing the appropriateness and cultural competence of health and social care provision

Differential access to high quality care commensurate with need is an important potential source of inequality in the health experiences of different ethnic groups. Though surveys tend to show higher levels of GP use among ethnic minority groups, there is evidence that the quality of care received may be compromised by issues of language and cultural competence of providers. Furthermore, evidence suggests that minority ethnic individuals may not receive sufficient hospital-based care, and that systematic differences exist in the care regimes received by individuals of different ethnic groups once within the health system. It is also evident that ethnic minority groups are less likely to make use of non-medical health and social services. The reasons behind these differentials are complex and deserve careful investigation. However, it is clear that a more nuanced and sophisticated understanding of ethnic identification will be needed if such inequalities are to be addressed, as well as a commitment to tackle racism and discrimination. Also, importantly, significant health problems that are concentrated within certain minority groups have not always received adequate attention at policy or programme level. This seminar will bring together academics, primary and secondary care providers and policy makers to consider recent developments in our understanding of the determinants of differential healthcare and to identify priority actions for channelling new learning into practice.

Date :July 19th 2006 , 10am-4.30pm

Venue : Sheffield Hallam University (City Campus)

Convenors : Professor Kate Gerrish & Dr Sarah Salway

Programme details

Directions:

Attendance at the seminar will be limited to 50 participants. Places will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis within three categories (academic or researcher / community-based or voluntary organisation staff / statutory practitioner or policy-maker). Please complete and send a request for registration if you would like to attend.