Improving Health Project

About Improving Health Project

EREC received funding from the Big Lottery Fund to deliver this project over three and a half years, which commenced in March 2007. The project is funded until August 2010.

Aim

Tackle health inequality and inequity by improving the health of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities living in Enfield.

How will this aim be met?

• Improved awareness amongst targeted BME communities of living healthy lifestyles, particularly healthy eating, physical activity and smoking cessation.
• Increasing take up of local services to improve health by targeted BME communities.
• Development of inclusive local health programmes and services that address key BME health concerns.
• Development of local community groups to better deliver health outcomes for their communities, aligned to local priorities and based on local health need.
• Increased involvement of BME communities/users with local health forums.

Who will benefit from this project?

• BME communities living in Enfield.
• BME community groups.
• Local Health service planners and providers.
• Providers of local health activities which serve BME communities.

What activities will the project deliver?

Policy work

• Identify the key health priorities and concerns, and gaps in health services for local BME groups.
• To work with local health policymakers to ensure that local health plans address the needs of BME groups in Enfield, including a review of the Race Equality Schemes of local health organisations.

Health Promotion Work

• Provide regular e-bulletins and newsletters on BME Health Awareness issues to community groups and local stakeholders in Enfield. Click here for latest Newsletters
• To work with local BME community groups and Enfield PCT to deliver health promotion workshops/events with targeted communities.

Community Development Work

• To work with and commission BME community groups/representatives to deliver health awareness events/shows to their communities, or in partnership where health concerns impact on more than one community.
• To provide advice to BME groups on funding opportunities and to assist with funding bids to develop health activities/ advocacy work to improve health outcomes in Enfield.
• To promote the involvement of BME users with the planning of local health services.

Why is the project needed?

• Enfield’s most deprived wards have high percentage of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) populations, and are amongst the worst 25% of wards in England in regard to health.
• Mortality rates for Enfield show that residents of Enfield North wards and Edmonton Wards have the highest death rates from coronary heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
• In Enfield, amongst under 16s, individuals of mixed race, Black Caribbean and Chinese origin have higher than average rates of limiting long term illness. Amongst the 50-64 age group, Mixed race, Caribbean, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi had very high rates. For over 65s, White other (Turkish/Greek Cypriot etc.), and Asian groups had higher than average rates.
• Coronary heart disease, diabetes, cancers, mental health, tuberculosis and poor sexual health also have higher instances amongst BME groups than for White groups. Differences can be attributed to lifestyles, health beliefs, diet, and genes, which vary across ethnic groups.
• Lack of access to appropriate health services also affects health outcomes for BME communities. Refugees and Asylum Seekers are more likely to suffer poor health as a result of their lack of knowledge about health services, not speaking English as their first language, in addition to any physical or mental illness they may have experienced due to persecution in their country of origin and to their adjustment to life in the UK.

Contact

For more information about the project, please contact Valdev Chaggar or Sophie Khan on 020 8373 6273/8 or email improvinghealth@enfieldrec.org.uk

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