UK-REACH: UK Research Study into Ethnicity And COVID-19 outcomes in Healthcare workers
Principal Investigator: Dr Manish Pareek
COVID-19 has spread rapidly across the world causing significant illness in many countries. As the pandemic has moved through the UK, there is concern that healthcare workers from ethnic minority groups are at increased risk of poor outcomes. It is important that we understand the differences between COVID-19 diagnosis and clinical outcomes, professional practices, and well-being among ethnic minority healthcare workers. This can then be used to inform the responses and support that we give these staff.
UK-REACH will calculate the risk of contracting and dying from COVID-19 for ethnic minority healthcare workers. It will use existing data from over two million healthcare records held by national healthcare organisations, and by recruiting 30,000 healthcare workers. This will help build a comprehensive picture of the impact of COVID-19 on the physical and mental well-being of ethnic minority healthcare workers.
The group of healthcare workers who will form part of the study will include non-clinical staff integral to the day to day running of healthcare institutions. Staff involved will include cleaners, kitchen staff, and porters. It will also follow a group of healthcare workers from ethnic minority backgrounds over 12 months to see what changes occur in their physical and mental health.
The study will also interview a smaller group of healthcare workers. This will focus on the risks of their jobs, and how healthcare workers may have changed their professional and social behaviours in response to COVID-19.
UK-REACH is in partnership with major national organisations including the General Medical Council, Nurse and Midwifery Council, General Dental Council, NHS Employers and BAME Professionals’ Associations. The findings of the study will be publicised, and recommendations made to better support healthcare workers.
Find out more about UK-REACH: https://uk-reach.org/
You can contact the study team: uk-reach@leicester.ac.uk