Ethnic monitoring and equity

BMJ 1995;310:890 (8 April)

Editorials

Ethnic monitoring and equity

Collecting data is just the beginning

From this month collecting data on ethnic group from all patientsadmitted to NHS hospitals will be routine.¹ This ethnic monitoringis intended to enable the NHS to provide services without racialor ethnic discrimination. Currently, the use the delivery ofservices vary on these grounds, with or without intent,² whichhinders the achievement of equity in the NHS.³

Several recent papers in the BMJ have shown that levels of needor use of services may differ between ethnic groups.⁴ ⁵ ⁶ Twopapers in this week's journal also show the potential of properlyconducted ethnic monitoring. One paper, identifying ethnic groupon the basis of name, shows excessive referrals of Asian patientsfor gastroenterological investigation with no apparent clinicaljustification (p 910).⁷ This finding was replicated in a differentregion when a different method of categorisation was used (p909).⁸ More detailed information could begin . . . [Full text of this article]

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