Cancer Alliance Backs Campaign To Challenge Racism And Tackle Health And Social Inequalities

West Yorkshire and Harrogate Cancer Alliance is backing an anti-racism movement soon to be launched by the area's Health and Care Partnership, together with the West Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit.

The anti-racism movement, a recommendation from the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership review in October 2020 into the impact of COVID-19 on health inequalities, is being developed with all organisations, including the NHS, councils, Healthwatch and the voluntary community social enterprise sector.

The Cancer Alliance is one of more than 150 organisations which have already pledged their support – including housing associations, universities, West Yorkshire Police, unions, community groups and sports foundations, including Keighley Cougars, the Community Foundation at Wakefield Trinity, and rugby's Bradford Bulls Foundation.

Co-created by over 100 West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership ethnic minority colleagues to proactively challenge racism across all aspects of society, the movement is part of an ongoing commitment to tackle structural and institutionalised racism, as well as addressing health and social inequalities across the area. 

Rob Webster, CBE, Chief Executive Officer Lead for the Health and Care Partnership, pictured below, said:

“To change people’s behaviours, we must change people’s minds. The visuals for this movement aim to make people stop and think, to try to better understand what is going on beneath the surface for people, and in response, act on these feelings to  make a real change in their community.

"This campaign is part of a range of interventions and builds on our awarding wining system leadership work and fellowship programmes. We can all make a difference and eliminate racism from our places of work, community spaces and homes."

The campaign is scheduled for launch in August 2021. More details are available on the Health and Care Partnership website.

ends

• West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership is a large integrated care system that supports 2.7 million people, including 260,000 unpaid carers. 570,000 are children and young people. 500,000 people live in areas ranked in the most deprived 10% of England. 20% of people are from ethnic minority communities. The Partnership is made up of the NHS, councils, hospices, Healthwatch, the voluntary community social enterprise sector and communities with over 100,000 staff.
• You can read the tackling health inequalities for ethnic minority communities and colleagues review report and recommendations here. The movement insight report is here.