A response to the Race and Health Observatory (RHO) rapid evidence review into ethnic inequalities in healthcare

A response to the Race and Health Observatory (RHO) rapid evidence review into ethnic inequalities in healthcare This report looks at the NHS Race and Health Observatory (RHO) as a case study and its work to ‘identify and tackle ethnic inequalities’ in health. The RHO exists to bring about equality of outcomes in health care and calls for radical action, but makes calls for more research to find out precisely what that entails. Central to its recent report, Ethnic inequalities in health care: a rapid evidence review, was the role of racism - those who are not white are treated worse, given the wrong treatment, and avoid getting help for ‘fear of racist treatment from NHS healthcare professionals’. This report analyses rapid evidence review and questions the assumptions and conclusions contained in this work. It questions why the RHO exists and if it is achieving its aim of ‘equality of outcome’ for different ethnic groups. Civitas