NHS England in partnership with Public Health England (PHE) hosted a roundtable event with Faith and BME organisations representing Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian communities.
The event focused on how faith organisations can work together with NHS England and PHE to ensure that BME communities know how to Stay Well This Winter. During the discussion valuable knowledge was shared and it was agreed that a partnership approach would be of great benefit to address very real health issues within BME communities.
More people die over the course of each winter compared to other times of the year and there are a range of conditions worsened by the cold weather - 80 per cent of these deaths are accounted for by people with circulatory diseases (such as heart disease, lung illnesses and stroke), dementia and respiratory diseases (such as asthma).
Stay Well This Winter important recommendations are:
* Get the free flu jab if you are eligible.
* Keep warm by heating your home to 18 degrees if possible and wearing warm clothes.
* Stock up on foods in case it’s too cold to go outdoors.
* Visit the pharmacy at the first sign of illness.
Gurmit Mahal, Executive Member Sikh Women's Alliance, said: “The Sikh Women’s Alliance are keen to work with PHE and NHS England on the Stay Well This Winter campaign. We had a very positive discussion on how to reach out to our people.”
Ibrahim Hemaida, Muslim Association of Britain, said: “Today’s event was brilliant, the idea of engaging local communities in this campaign and delivering the message is clear.”
Dr Jyoti Sood, Redbridge CCG, who chaired the event, said: “The event was a positive step in equipping faith organisations with the right information about the Stay Well This Winter campaign, in particular the flu vaccine, so that their communities can make informed decisions.”
Ian Hampton, Senior Campaigns Manager, NHS England, who presented the Stay Well This Winter campaign, said: “These faith organisations play a key role in connecting us with their communities and helping us get our important campaign messages heard and responded to.”
To find out more about the Stay Well This Winter campaign, visit www.nhs.uk/staywell
