HOSPITAL bosses in Worcester will review risk assessments for black and minority ethnic staff over concerns they are at greater risk from coronavirus.

New national guidance suggests NHS workers from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds should be “risk-assessed” and potentially moved away from frontline roles over concerns they are being “disproportionately affected by Covid-19”.

Last year’s report (2018/19), the most recent figures made available, showed Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust employed 827 people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds (582 Asian/British Asian, 108 black/British black, 64 mixed race and 73 who fell into other) out of a total of 6,207 staff. The trust manages Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester, the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch and Kidderminster Hospital. No breakdown was provided of how many of these roles were frontline. Data from the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre has suggested 34.5 per cent of critically ill Covid-19 patients have BAME backgrounds despite just 10.8 per cent of the population being black or Asian, according to the 2011 census.

A letter from NHS England urges health trusts to make 'appropriate arrangements', including moving those from ethnic minority backgrounds away from the frontline to non-patient facing roles. NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said Public Health England had been asked by the Department for Health and Social Care to look into the issue. Tina Ricketts, director of people and culture at the Worcestershire acute trust, said: “Our staff across all our hospitals are doing a magnificent job in working to put patients first through one of the most challenging periods in the history of the NHS and their safety is paramount. In line with national guidance we have carried out risk assessments, particularly for vulnerable groups of staff, to understand the specific risks colleagues face from exposure to Covid-19 and actions we can take to keep them safe. This includes staff returning to work for the NHS, and existing staff who are in high risk or increased risk categories as defined by Public Health England.

“Following the latest recommendations we will be reviewing our guidance and risk assessments for our BAME workforce to ensure we are providing appropriate support.”