Recent government and health reports have highlighted that Covid-19 is disproportionately affecting the health and wellbeing of people from the BAME communities.

You have an opportunity to learn more about the reasons why and to get key health information, by listening to and putting questions to experts about your health, care and wellbeing.

The seminars have been prepared by Dudley Council’s Public Health, working together with Transforming Communities Together and Cornerstone Community Church, to help BAME communities live longer, safe and healthier lives.

We will email you the login details for the seminars in the days leading up to each event.

We will be running five sessions in total.

The three remaining ones are:

• Friday 17th July from 7pm to 8:30pm

• Friday 24th July from 7pm to 8:30pm

• Friday 31st July from 7pm to 8:30pm

By booking into one session, you will book into all of the other sessions too but you can sign up for individual sessions too.

Here is the draft programme (which may change closer to the event):

Week 3 Friday Focus: 17th July 2020

A focus on respiratory and heart conditions (e.g. asthma, COPD, CHD), chronic kidney disease and keeping active

• Dr Randa Abaseed-Elhag, Dudley Group NHS Foundation

• Jo Hamilton, Lead Respiratory Nurse

• Russell Tipson, Action Heart

• Kuldip Chana, BME United provider of Self- Management Programmes

Week 4 Friday Focus: 24th July 2020

A focus on Mental Health

• Dr Heidi Napier, Consultant Clinical Psychologist Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

• Kaljit Johal, Kooth

• Terry Rigby, Forward for Life

• Raj Thind , Regional Head of Domestic Abuse Service for Black Country Womens Aid

Week 5 Friday Focus: 31st July 2020

A focus on community engagement and involvement – Life in the new normal

• Dr Lola Abudu Deputy Director for Health and Wellbeing Public Health England Midlands
• Julie Black, Public Health, Dudley Council
• Sharon Tilt, Welfare Benefits Dudley Council
• Cassius Francis, Just Finance Black Country

Previous weeks were:

Week 1 Friday Focus: 3rd July 2020

A focus on individuals, groups, community – key Public Health Messages

• Bal Kaur, Acting Director of Public Health, Dudley Council
• Dr Irfan Ghani, Interim Head of Children and Young People Public Health and Wellbeing Dudley Council
• Claudia Oliveira, Health Protection Nurse, Dudley Council
• Shaz Akhtar, Black Country Near Neighbours

Week 2 Friday Focus: 10th July 2020

A focus on Diabetes/Obesity and working towards a healthier lifestyle, alcohol, smoking

• Dr Rusha Mukhtar, Consultant Diabetologist
• Emily Ashman, Lead Diabetic Nurse
• Kimberley Yeung, Solutions4Health