Date Published: November 2013

Date published: November 2013

Last reviewed: April 2019

Grove Road Surgery

ETHNIC ORIGIN MONITORING

Introduction

This protocol sets out the practice’s approach to the collection of ethnic origin information. This is principally designed for the collection of information on new patient registrations, but is also equally relevant to collection of information at other times.

The categories of race origin listed below follow the recommended categories for public bodies in England and Wales, and are consistent with the presentation and collection of ethnicity detail within the 2001 Census.

Procedure

Each new patient will be asked to complete a Patient Ethnic Origin Questionnaire (see below). The form is self-explanatory. Patients may decline to complete this, and that decision is to be accepted. For babies and children, parents will define the ethnic origin, or, where a carer is involved, the carer.

The receptionist accepting the form is to key the relevant code to the clinical record, endorse the form “Keyed”, and place the form into the documents awaiting scanning. Clinical Read Codes include census-based classifications and these are listed below.

Patient Queries

From time to time a patient, whether from an ethnic background or not, may query the need to collect this information, and the use to which it will be put. They may also query the statement on the Questionnaire that indicates certain ethnic groups are at a higher risk of contracting specific medical conditions. Where a refusal to supply the information is received, this is to be respected and recorded and coded as a refusal.

The patient is the person to define their own ethnicity.

Patients can be reassured that data or statistics produced using this information will be anonymous. The information may be used on a personal basis within the practice to help in the identification of specific medical conditions which may be more prevalent in certain ethnic communities. This will be in accordance with the practice’s Data Protection Act registration. Some generalised examples are:

Diabetes (Type 2) is more common in Asian, Caribbean and African groups.

CHD, Hypertension and Stroke can impact more on persons of Indian culture descent than those of white origin.

Cancers – overall rates are lower in non-European groups, however rates are increasing for those groups living in the UK due to increased exposure to other risk factors and changed lifestyle.

Higher rates of cancers of the head and neck are seen in Asians and Afro-Caribbean, but lower rates of colon, stomach, bladder, ovary and uterus cancers.

Asthma and Respiratory Diseases – higher consultation rates for asthma among those of Asian descent.

Osteoporosis – Asian women are more susceptible than average. Afro-Caribbean women have relatively low rates of this due in general to higher bone density.

Read Codes

White British9i0

White Irish 9i1

Other White Background9i2

Mixed White and Black Caribbean9i3

Mixed White and Black African9i4

White and Asian9i5

Other Mixed Background9i6

Indian9i7

Pakistani9i8

Bangladeshi9i9

Other Asian Background9iA

Caribbean9iB

African9iC

Other Black Background9iD

Chinese9iE

Other 9iF

Declined / Not Given9iG

First Language

National codes:

Note: These national codes do not correspond to Read Codes, but are part of the national classification system. Not all languages above have corresponding Read Codes. Local Codes may be required.

The Spoken Language Read Codes may be accessed under:

Main Spoken Language 13l…

> Patient Questionnaire is on the next page >

Ethnic Origin

Please indicate your ethnic origin. This is not compulsory, but may help with your healthcare, as some health problems are more common in specific communities, and knowing your origins may help with the early identification of some of these conditions.

Choose ONE section from A to E, and then tick ONE box to indicate your background.

AWhite

BMixed

CAsian or Asian British

DBlack or Black British

EChinese or other ethnic group

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