Black Health Matters is a project from the The Love Tank CIC that aims to build connections and coalitions across a range of health areas that disproportionately impact Black people in the UK and to increase the ability of those with lived experience to make a change in society.
The COVID pandemic brought to light the longstanding health inequities experienced by Black people and communities across the UK and around the globe. Evidence demonstrated that these inequalities are a result of decades of systemic and institutionalised racism.
The murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement of 2020 was a call to action to end racial injustice and to start challenging the systems that impact the lives of Black people.
There is currently little strategic and programmatic public health and health equalities work that collates and draws threads between lived experience leaders who address Black health inequalities, and that build responses that influences systemic change to tackle these inequalities.
The Black Health Matters project, launched in spring 2021 and aimed to take action on three levels
First
To support current and new generations of lived experience leaders who are addressing different health inequality issues. By bringing lived experience leaders from diverse health issues together on the project, we aim to establish more joined-up thinking and action, relating to health inequalities faced by Black people. In addition, we aim to improve learning and dialogues across health conditions, and seeking to understand what might be learned from COVID.
Second
The project aims to support health planners and policy makers by developing evidence informed tangible actions that can be taken to address health inequities faced by Black communities.
Third
The project aims to support Black communities in better navigating health services and health information through the learning from the project, the case studies and the projects materials. By generating such materials, the project seeks to benefit new generations of future lived experience leaders.
The first year-long Phase I of the project brought together lived experience leaders and organisations from a broad range of health issues impacting on Black communities and to identify common threads and solutions to better addressing these health needs.
These included HIV and sexual and reproductive health, COVID, mental health, hypertension, sickle cell, diabetes, learning difficulties and disability, cancer, kidney disease, asthma and donations.
In the first year the project:
identified and worked with more than 50 individuals, lived experienced leaders organisations and health care professionals as collaborators on the project.
developed a national network of 14 lived experienced leaders to shape and direct the project.
produced 13 case studies and blogs of different health issues and that identify how health inequalities impact different groups of Black people.
developed and delivered the Lived Experience Leader Development programme
developed accessible materials including videos, webinars, social media assets, infographics and training materials that facilitated Black communities, their allies, and policy makers, to take better control of their health and well-being, and developed the capacity for new generations of lived experience leaders.
Funding for the Black Health Matters project ended in March 2022.
However, the health inequalities that impact the lives of Black people continue. The Love Tank is committed to continuing to work with partners, communities, and allies to find solutions to address this.
Contact us to get involved.
For more information or to get involved send us an email at bhm@thelovetank.info