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Background

This report, produced by the Department of Health with input and advice from the Care Quality Commission, examines variations in the self-reported views of NHS patients from different ethnic groups. Results are presented from the 2008/09 adult inpatient, 2008/09 emergency department, 2007/08 primary care services and 2007/08 community mental health patient surveys. These findings give us insight into the areas of NHS service provision where experience of the service looks different to patients from different ethnic groups. Results are based on data from the National Patient Survey programme, led by the Care Quality Commission.

Key points from the latest release

• This is the second time this analysis has been undertaken (the first BME report was published in May 2008) and overall results are very similar to the previous report. The same general patterns are apparent, both in terms of results for ethnic groups and when looking at particular sets of questions.
• Results show a range of variations between black and minority ethnic (BME) groups and their white British counterparts. Where differences do exist, most are negative, indicating that BME groups are less likely to report a positive experience. However many areas show no difference with some showing a positive difference.
  
• Patients from the White Irish group were more likely to give positive responses, across the majority of questions, compared with the White British baseline.
• Patients from the Asian and Chinese/Other groups were less likely to give positive responses compared with the White British group.
• Patients from the White Other and Mixed groups were again typically less likely to give positive responses, but less consistently than the Asian and Chinese groups.
• Results for Black patients were mixed, although they were slightly less likely to give positive responses, particularly in the primary care and A&E surveys.
• BME groups tended to be less positive about questions relating to ‘access and waiting’ or to ‘better information and more choice’.
• Across survey settings, differences were seen most in the primary care survey, where all BME groups (except the White Irish) were less likely to give positive responses. Very few differences were found in the community mental health survey.

• Download the latest release in full (PDF, 291K)
• Download the latest figures in Excel format (XLS, 125K)
• Download the patient experience BME pre-release access list (PDF, 45K)
• Further information on the patient experience PSA methodology and the national patient survey programme is available here