Shocking ethnic minority health inequalities revealed by study
Huge health inequalities in ethnic minorities, compared with white British people, have been revealed following England’s largest ever study of over-55s.
Huge health inequalities in ethnic minorities, compared with white British people, have been revealed following England’s largest ever study of over-55s.
The study, carried out by the University of Manchester, revealed an increased likelihood of people from some ethnic minority groups, particularly Asian groups, reporting poor experiences at their GP.
The authors of the study suggest this may indicate an unfairness within NHS services, which would worsen health inequalities in some ethnic minority groups.
Dr Ruth Watkinson, lead author from the University of Manchester, told The Manc: “We’re interested in health inequalities, particularly thinking about what kinds of health inequalities might be really relevant to the population here in Manchester.
“Compared to the whole of the UK there are more people [in Manchester] living in socially deprived neighbourhoods and a larger proportion of people from ethnic minority groups.”
People from almost all of the ethnic groups surveyed were considerably more likely to report insufficient help from their local services in managing their health conditions.
The lead author suggests there is much more attention brought to these disparities at the moment due to the disproportionate impact of COVID on ethnic minority groups.
Dr Watkinson added: “People try to explain these things away and say ‘well it’s genetic predisposition’ or ‘it’s behavioural differences’ but there’s no way that genetics links people of all those different ethnic minority groups.
“Terms like ‘BAME’ often mask the idea that these are very different groups of people, the only thing that links them is that they are racially ‘minoritised’ in this country because of systemic racism.”
Findings revealed the average health of 60 year olds from Gypsy or Irish traveller, Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Arab groups was similar to that of a typical 80 year old.
Other key findings included that older people from ethnic minority groups were more likely to report suffering from common long-term health conditions such as diabetes, or even having two or more conditions.
Additionally, older Bangladeshi women were around three times more likely to report poor experiences in comparison to older white British women.
Dr Watkinson stated: “The NHS as an institution is failing people from some ethnic groups. Policy action is needed to transform healthcare and wider support services to make sure they meet the needs of all individuals in England’s multi-ethnic population fairly.
“A lot of long-term chronic health conditions shouldn’t need to impact your quality of life but they often do if you’re not getting the healthcare that you need.
“Unfortunately our research is coming at a time when the government is stepping away from focusing on inequalities due to ethnicity. But I would hope ideally that the government would start to make ethinic equality absolutely fundamental across all parts of the public sector.
“If we made these problems so much more visible then we could identify targets and enforce change.”
The study was carried out by the University of Manchester / Image: Wikimedia Commons
Dr Watkinson also said that policy makers “need to address the structural racism” that makes it harder for people within ethnic minority groups to access socioeconomic opportunities.
Co-author Dr Alex Turner, said: “Researchers haven’t been able to research the health outcomes of people over 55 in ethnic minority groups, because they aren’t included in sufficient numbers in most datasets.
“And much official data doesn’t distinguish between groups, which can mask inequalities.
“But this study allowed us to analyse results for all 18 of the UK census ethnic groups separately, allowing us to see differences between them.”
It is clear that more data is needed to better understand what drives these health inequalities; and researchers suggest collecting info with more inclusion of people from ethnic minority groups is required.
*The study which was published in Lancet Public Health, used the England-wide GP Patient Surveys to analyse responses from nearly 1.4 million 55+ adults between 2015 and 2017. The sample included over 150,000 people who self-identified as belonging to an ethnic minority group.
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Stockport County release historic third kit as charitable nod to their past
Danny Jones
Stockport County have released their third kit for the 2025/26 season, and the stylish nod to their history has not only gone down as an instant hit among the fan base, but it also doubles as a vital fundraiser for grassroots football.
County are gearing up for their second season back in League One after just missing out on back-to-back promotions and a glorious return to the Championship in the previous campaign.
Enjoying life under manager Dave Challinor, the Greater Manchester club has come a long way over the past few years, and they’ve made sure not to forget their past either.
Unveiling the new third shirt with a moving kit reveal video that harkens back to their past as part of the local sporting community.
Reverting to their historical cross crest for the 25/26 third kit, the striking green strip pays tribute to the nearby origins, having spent their foundational years as a footballing outfit at Green Lane in Heaton Norris – a Stopfordian suburb and one of the four thriving Heatons.
Before Stockport went by County, they were called Heaton Norris Rovers, and so they decided to rewind the clock and bring back the old badge for this noteworthy kit drop.
“Players from the Men’s first team and Academy, as well as members of the Ladies team and individuals from our community groups through the Stockport County Community Trust, all took part.”
Teaming up with local photographer Andrew Findlay to tap into that authentic, old feeling in the images, using vintage 35mm film to create a “timeless quality, perfectly matching the historic crest and the nostalgic feel of the location where our journey began”, the results speak for themselves.
Putting our own allegiances aside, this simple and stripped-back shirt design isn’t just an instant classic among most County fans, but it’s one of our favourite football shirts to come out of Greater Manchester for some time.
Ok, stop what you're doing — consider #SCFC's latest drop exhibits C-Z!? 🔥
The shoot itself was even held at their former ground on Green Lane, with players, fans and youngsters gathering in front of the historic Nursery Inn pub, as well as on the bowling green, right next to where they used to play their home matches back in 1889 before moving to Edgeley Park in 1902.
As the club goes on to write: “This launch is more than just a new kit; it’s a celebration of our grassroots history. The green colour scheme reflects not only the Green Lane ground, but also the Club’s deep roots in the local community.
“To honour this legacy, we are committed to supporting the next generation of local talent. For every third kit sold, £2 will be donated to Stockport County‘s Grassroots Football Fund, helping to ensure that football continues to thrive at a local level.
“This new kit is a tribute to our past, a commitment to our present, and an investment in our future. We can’t wait to see the County faithful wearing this piece of our history with pride.” You love to see it.
If you’re interested, you can grab one HERE and help donate to regional grassroots support.
Featured Images — Stockport County/Andrew Findlay (supplied)
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Drake at Co-op Live, Manchester – Forget ‘One Dance’ we had many
Thomas Melia
Canadian hitmaker Drake graced Co-op Live in Manchester for the final night of the ‘Some Special Shows 4 UK’ tour with PartyNextDoor.
First song in and multi-hyphenate Drake is already feeling sentimental with ‘Gimme a Hug’ as he admits, “I appreciate the fans rockin’ with me / This is really just a small token.”
‘Marvin’s Room’ played out right after, and although the song prior references it as a favourite of “Durk’s boy”, this same love was shared between 23,500 fans in the crowd at Co-op Live last night.
Shortly after, the Toronto-born rapper began the usual minute-long introduction of his gigantic single ‘Passionfruit’ with fans roaring as soon as he sang the long-awaited ‘Listen’.
Drake played out to 94,000 fans across four sold-out nights at Co-op Live in Manchester (Credit: Audio North)
Less than halfway through this stacked setlist, and it was time for the holy trinity of the night: ‘God’s Plan’, ‘In My Feelings’ and ‘Nice for What’ – nothing short of back-to-back bangers.
Fellow Canadian artist PartyNextDoor joined the self-proclaimed ‘Champagne Papi’ on stage to perform a medley of hits from their collaborative album ‘Some Sexy Songs 4 U’ next.
This R’n’B act made sure to play out his murky trap-fused number ‘No Chill’, and he squeezed in the equally melancholic melody ‘Somebody Loves Me’, too.
The pair may be promoting their joint LP but they took a second to squeeze in a throwback, matching each other’s energy while executing the 2016 collaboration ‘Come and See Me’.
Drake’s career is timeless, and the setlist proves just that as he delivers a rendition of one of his most recent successes, ‘Girls Want Girls’, followed by a track that laid the foundations of his career, ‘Fancy’.
Drake and PartyNextDoor for the ‘Some Special Songs 4 UK’ tour(Credit: The Manc)
Almost 30 songs deep and Drake still had fans reciting bars, verses and everything in between, and this continued as the two-time Brit award winner started 2023 anthem ‘Rich Baby Daddy’.
St. Louis rapper Sexyy Red wasn’t present for her renowned chant, but Manchester stepped up to the occasion, professing: “Hands on your knees, hands on your knees / Shake that *ss for Drake / Now shake that *ss for me”, verbatim.
It was only fair that the global rap titan finished with the setlist with two cellular-themed tracks, starting with the “You used to call me on my cell phone” number ‘Hotline Bling’ before the “Who’s callin’ my phone?” viral smash ‘Nokia’.
The setlist follows a very cyclical structure, as although Drake is known for his comical and cheeky persona on stage and online, deep down, the chart topper is very attentive.
Ending on the ever-emotive ‘Yebba’s Heartbreak’ with lines like, “How much can I show my love for you?”, it’s safe to say this international act is feeling pretty grateful after seeing 94,000 fans show up and show out for him across four non-consecutive nights.
Drake may refer to himself as the ‘Champagne Papi’, but it’s the 23,500 fans who were popping bottles and raising a toast to the rap champ; the support for this musical act is ‘Nonstop’.
Co-op Live really is booking all the big names now.
The Manc -
15th February 2021 
