Health and social care needs in minority communities: an over-problematized issue?

As far as Britain's black and South Asian minority communities are concerned, the development of health and social care in the community is often perceived to be problematic. For some minority groups (or for some sections of particular communities) this view is justified. Firstly, significant numbers of people in minority ethnic communities are socially and economically disadvantaged and might lack the resources (income, satisfactory housing, access to transport, family support) to provide care to the level that is needed. Secondly, the planning and delivery of care services for people in minority communities can leave much to be desired. Among other problems, racism and institutional discrimination can result in services which neglect the needs of minority communities. However, the argument remains that to a degree the issue of community care in minority ethnic communities is an over-problematized one. Are the problems faced by particular groups in the minority population experienced widely in every minority community? This paper examines the argument by focusing on the care of older people. It accepts that problems of racism in the planning and delivery of health and social services are serious and lead to limited access to, and under-use of, social services by some. However, it is evident that some minority communities are in a much better position than others to meet the care needs of older people.