Better data is crucial to understanding ethnic inequalities in health care

Commenting on the NHS Race & Health Observatory’s report Ethnic inequalities in healthcare: a rapid evidence review, Josh Keith, senior fellow in data analytics at the Health Foundation, said:

‘This report highlights concerning ethnic inequalities in service access, patient experience and outcomes. It rightly urges the NHS to do more to make sure that health care services meet the needs of everyone. Achieving this will require a better understanding of what is driving these inequalities. Better ethnicity data is crucial to developing this understanding, and to ensuring we can measure progress. The NHS Race & Health Observatory are right to push for improved routine recording of ethnicity data in the NHS.

‘As well as collecting better data, more could be made of existing data, as the report suggests. For example, linking data along the patient pathway can help improve understanding of where inequalities in one part of the system might have consequences further down the line.

‘The increasing use of digital tools across the NHS raises concerns about digital exclusion and may risk further exacerbating inequalities. We agree that more evidence is needed on the possible impact on ethnic inequalities. In addition to remote and digital appointments, and the use of health care apps, any future review should also consider data-driven technologies (such as artificial intelligence) and systems. These might exacerbate ethnic inequalities, for example, through the use of biased or non-representative data, or through unequal implementation.

‘As well as improving data and data collection, it will also be important to take action to improve the diversity of the workforce working on health data.’

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Emily Wilson
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