NHS 'equality champion' appointed

Inequalities will be stamped out

The NHS has appointed its first ever champion to tackle inequalities in the health of people from ethnic minorities.

Currently, 50% more first generation South Asian adults die from heart disease than the national average.

Black people are six times more likely to be held under the Mental Health Act.

The new director for equalities and human rights, Mr Surinder Sharma, will also have to ensure all NHS staff are recruited from all communities.

Inequalities

There have been concerns about racism within the NHS towards staff and patients.

A report on the death of a black schizophrenic patient, David Bennett, after he was restrained by staff at a clinic in Norwich said the failure to give ethnic minority people proper mental health care was a "festering abscess".

In many ways the NHS has done very well over the years but I think we can do even better going forward. Mr Surinder Sharma

Dr John Reid admitted "discrimination" existed in the NHS and added that he was committed to improving mental health services.

This year a doctor successfully sued the British Medical Association when he claimed it had failed to back him in an employment dispute with his hospital.

Dr Rajendra Chaudhary from Manchester, who was born and trained in India, said he repeatedly failed to be promoted to consultant level, even though British-born colleagues with the same experience succeeded.

Progress

While people from black and ethnic minorities make up 35% of the UK's doctors and dentists, less than 1% of health boards have a black or ethnic minority chief executive.

Mr Sharma said it was an "exciting opportunity"

Mr Sharma, who was deemed the best candidate for the job, with 25 years of experience working in the equal opportunities field, said this would be resolved with time.

"The Department has taken great strides really if you look at the figures for March this year - 7.5% of directors are from black or minority groups.

"We are the largest employer of black and Asian people in the UK.

"We have also increased the number of senior women in the NHS. That's now up to nearly 40%.

"In many ways the NHS has done very well over the years but I think we can do even better going forward."

Mr Sharma's CV Fully qualified lawyer Worked in equal opportunities field for the BBC, Littlewoods and Ford Motor Cars Commissioner at the Equal Opportunities Commission

He said he aspired to match service delivery to meet the needs of the UK population, pointing out that nearly 8% of the population is made up of black and minority groups.

"I think that this is an exciting opportunity," he said.

Health Secretary John Reid said: "We have two aims with this appointment. Firstly, to make sure that appropriate services are available to anyone in the population, regardless of their background.

"Secondly, to ensure that we can draw on the talents, skills and passion of all parts of the community.

"Surinder is a very experienced professional who will enable us to do this."