Risk assessment launched to help BAME health and care workers
THE Welsh Government has launched a risk assessment to help people from black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds who are working in health and social care.
The aim is to determine whether they are at an increased risk of contracting coronavirus.
Coronavirus has been found to be more deadly for people from certain ethnic backgrounds.
The risk assessment was compiled by the Welsh Government’s BAME Covid-19 health advisory group to help to reduce people’s risk of contracting coronavirus in the workplace.
The assessment is the first major piece of work from the advisory group, which was set up to look at the reasons why people from BAME communities are disproportionately impacted by coronavirus.
The risk assessment sub-group designed a two-stage risk assessment which can be used across the NHS and social care, featuring a simple scoring table, which could be transferred to other workplaces and sectors.
People at increased risk may, in discussion with their line manager, agree to adjustments to their working arrangements or to work from home.
The risk assessment is a tool to see how much danger you are in when going back to work.
The first thing you need to do is find out how at risk you are.
Go through the list of criteria below.
If any of them apply to you, add them to your score.
AGE
Covid-19 seems to have a bigger impact on people who are older. ■ If you are aged between 50 and 59 = one point ■ If you are aged between 60 and 69 = two points
SEX AT BIRTH
Covid-19 seems to have a bigger impact on males than females. ■ Male = one point
ETHNICITY
Covid-19 seems to have a bigger impact on people from some ethnicities.
If you identify as one of the BAME or mixed race groups as set out below = one point
For example - ■ White and Black Caribbean ■ White and Black African ■ White and Asian ■ Any other Mixed / Multiple ethnic background ■ Asian / Asian British ■ Indian ■ Pakistani ■ Bangladeshi ■ Chinese ■ Any other Asian background ■ Black / African / Caribbean / Black British ■ African ■ Caribbean ■ Any other Black / African / Caribbean background ■ Other ethnic group ■ Arab ■ Any group. other ethnic
EXISTING HEALTH CONDITIONS
Covid-19 seems to have a bigger impact if you already have other preexisting health conditions including: ■ Cardiovascular ■ Are you on any treatment for hypertension (high blood pressure), atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rate), heart failure disease. (had a heart attack), or have you had a stroke or mini stroke? = one point ■ Diabetes (type one or two) = one point ■ Chronic lung disease (including asthma, COPD and interstitial lung disease) = one point ■ Chronic kidney disease (any stage 1-5) = one point ■ Sickle cell trait, thalassaemia trait or other haemoglobinopathy = one point
OBESITY
Covid-19 seems to have a bigger impact if you are overweight. ■ If your BMI is more than 30 = one point ■ If you don’t know your BMI you can work out your risk based on whether your waist circumference is: ■ South Asian female more than 33 inches (84cm); other BAME or white female more than 34.5 inches (88cm) = one point
■ South Asian male more than 35 inches (89cm); other BAME or white male more than 40 inches (102cm) = one point
FAMILY HISTORY
Covid-19 seems to have a family susceptibility for some people, especially twins.
If a member of your immediate family (parent under 70, sibling, child) has been in ITU or died with Covid-19 = one point.
Match your score with the chart to work out if you should be going into work.
WHERE DOES THIS ASSESSMENT COME FROM?
Last month, First Minister Mark Drakeford launched an urgent investigation to understand the reasons for the higher risk to BAME communities and established the advisory group, cochaired by Judge Ray
Singh and Dr Heather Payne.
It included two subgroups - one focusing on the risk assessment by Professor Keshav Singhal - and a second looking at the socio-economic factors which may influence poorer coronavirus outcomes.
Mr Drakeford said: “Against the backdrop of growing evidence that coronavirus is having a disproportionate impact on people from BAME backgrounds, the advisory group has developed this risk assessment tool, which I hope will help people understand their risk of infection and feel empowered to take action to minimise that risk.
“The all-wales Covid19 workforce risk assessment tool is the result of very swift research and investigation by the advisory group, for which I am very grateful.”
Judge Ray Singh added: “Since the BAME Covid19 advisory group met for the first time just over a month ago, it has worked tirelessly to develop this Welsh risk assessment tool to protect against Covid-19 and reassure Black Asian Minority Ethnic NHS and social care frontline workers, who have been disproportionately impacted by this virus. We know the majority of doctors and nurses who have sadly died from Covid-19 have been from BAME background.
“This tool will help stop more workers and families going through the same heartache as those brave workers who sacrificed their lives in protecting us all. We will never forget them and our condolences are with their families.”