Our response to the report of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities

We're concerned that the headline conclusions in the report of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities may lead people to think there isn't a real issue here. But there is. That's why we're continuing to take action to break down the inequalities that exist for people with Parkinson's, including those created by racism. Download the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities report (PDF, 18.5MB).

We welcome the report's recommendation that an Office for Health Disparities is established to tackle the health inequalities that exist and we have seen recently through the pandemic. But there is more we can, and must, do. 

Parkinson's affects people of all races and ethnicities. But evidence shows that people from minority ethnic backgrounds are underrepresented in research. We know that to deliver better treatments and care for everyone, we urgently need this to change. So we're actively encouraging more people from underrepresented groups to get involved in Parkinson's research. Read our blog about race equality in research.

We also know that our current services do not reach all communities in the UK effectively. 4.7% of the people we support identify as minority ethnic, but we estimate that 7.1% of people with Parkinson's in the UK are from minority ethnic backgrounds. So we're working with the NHS to make sure services are there for everyone, from day one.

As a charity, we're also working to become a more inclusive organisation, from our recruitment to our communications. 

And we're committed to increasing our influence, building our expertise and tailoring our support so that people from all racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds will benefit. Whether it's from our own services or those provided by the health and care sector. 

We won't stop until everyone with Parkinson's in the UK gets the support they need.