How would you classify your ethnicity? - Update

In recent months, patients throughout the UK may have noticed an odd question being posed to them by their GPs… “How would you classify your ethnicity?”

Upon receiving such a query – generally by text message or other digital delivery mechanism – patients would not be blamed for questioning what business is it of my GP what ethnicity I am?

The NHS are trying to address quality of care issues, by being on the alert for certain co-morbidities that tend to present – sometimes at quite a young age – in different ethnic minority groups. The office for National Statistics regularly gives updates on the prevalence of co-morbidities (related health conditions which could cause unforeseen complications with a current illness/treatment), so – by identifying a patient’s possible co-morbidities as soon as possible – GPs can engage in proactive, preventative care, and anticipate any potential complication that may face a patient from an ethnic minority group before it becomes an insurmountable problem.

This preparedness not only ensures that patients receive the best possible care, but it helps save our NHS millions annually in treating preventable complications. As such, we urge patients in the UK to be as forthcoming with your ethnicity information as you can.

The intention, as always, is to help, not to harm.

Published: Mar 17, 2023