New risk assessment available for BAME health and social workers in Wales

A new risk assessment has been launched to support people from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds in the NHS and social care in Wales.

The two-stage risk assessment will help to reduce people’s risk of contracting coronavirus in the workplace.

It is the first major piece of work from an advisory group, which was set up to look at the reasons why people from BAME communities are disproportionately impacted by coronavirus.

Health Minister Vaughan Gething said that more than a third of people in Wales who are critically ill are from a black or ethnic minority background, and they "don't yet fully understand why."

In April, an urgent investigation was launched to understand the reasons for the higher risk to BAME communities.

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The new tool will allow people who are at an increased risk to discuss with their line manager, and agree to adjustments to their working arrangements or to work from home.

Doctors have said preexisting inequalities in health and healthcare and maybe a reason why more ethnic minorities seem to be affected.

TUC Wales said the pandemic is hitting people who are poorer harder, and that language barriers have impacted how quick information has been fed to certain communities.