West Midlands Regional Health Impact of COVID-19 Task and Finish Group

National and regional evidence shows that COVID-19 has widened existing health inequalities, both through the direct impacts of the virus, and the indirect impacts of the control measures imposed. While underlying health conditions have increased the risk of serious consequences from infection, the economic and social response to COVID-19 has exacerbated inequalities in physical and mental health and the wider determinants of health: the conditions in which we are born, grow, live, work and age.

The pandemic has especially exposed and exacerbated longstanding inequalities affecting BAME groups in the UK including challenges faced through systemic discrimination.This report acts as an interim to the Health of the Region Report due to be published later in 2020 which will reflect on the implications of COVID-19 in relation to inequalities in health and wellbeing across the West Midlands region. The purpose of this report is to demonstrate and reflect on work and analysis of COVID-19 and health inequalities to date which has been carried out by PHE Population Intelligence Hub and stakeholder members of the West Midlands Regional Health Impact of COVID-19 Task and Finish Group.

This Group has been convened with representation from the WMCA, PHE, local authorities, universities, communty organisations and the NHS. The purpose of the group is to focus on the relationship between disparities analysis from the PHE review and wider health inequalities in the West Midlands region.The report identifies stakeholder concerns around the upcoming challenges facing the West Midlands over the coming months, the unique opportunities that the situation presents, and the next steps for the group's work. It includes a call for evidence as the group begins a short period of stakeholder engagement to inform its work.The purpose and role of the Regional Health Impact of COVID-19 Task and Finish GroupTo focus on the relationship between disparities analysis from the PHE review and wider health inequalities in the wider WMCA Region.

This includes:

1. Coordinating work by Partners and Stakeholders around COVID-19 and linking to the wider determinants of health;

2. Drawing on other streams of work around the region on COVID-19 and health inequalities;

3. Sharing work across different organisations and synchronising use and outputs of work

4. Identifying a series of interventions that might be made in response to our findings;

5. Feeding into national level discussions about the health impact of COVID-19.

Download and read the full report

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