Hard to reach or easy to ignore? Successfully engaging Northwest London’s most diverse boroughs

Analysis of racism in UK health research brought together considerable evidence of systemic barriers to ethnic equality across UK health research. Our Ethnicity and Health Unit (EHU) took on a rapid three-month project to address these inequalities.  

'In  England, there is a 19-year gap in healthy life expectancy exists between the most and least affluent areas of the country. Moreover, people in most deprived neighbourhoods, certain ethnic minority and inclusion health groups, get multiple long-term health conditions 10 to 15 years earlier than those in the most affluent communities, spending more years in ill health and dying sooner.'  - Office for Health Improvement & Disparities' 2022 guidance

The EHU sought funding from NHS England's Integrated Care Systems Research Engagement Network Development grant and were awarded £100k to support our ICS to increase diversity in research participation through the development of new or existing research networks and activity.

Brent and Hounslow boroughs have the highest levels of ethnic minority communities and health inequalities in Northwest London.

 We partnered with local communities from Brent and Hounslow including: Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises such as CVS Brent and Ealing and Hounslow CVS, Integrated Care Board North West London, Primary Care Networks, Academic institutions and Charities, Imperial College's Patient Experience Research Centre, to engage Northwest London's most diverse communities in conversations around their health interests and research with a goal to develop a research network reflective of local communities’ challenges and needs.

What have we done so far?

The EHU rapidly galvanised diverse communities often seen as hard to reach, creating a foundation and environment for increasing diversity in research.

Alongside our partners, we ran 10 Health Roadshows, split equally between Brent and Hounslow. Residents from these communities who attended could engage in a variety of activities, such as:

• receive free health checks

• visit stands on the day and engage with local organisations

• talk to health professionals and researchers about health issues

• receive cost of living support

• view healthy cooking demonstrations

• receive emotional and wellbeing support

• enjoy a free meal

• engage with fellow community members