The aims of the BME Health Forum are to:

• Ensure that the needs, views and experiences of BME residents have been addressed effectively and robustly in all health and health service developments and proposals for change.
• Identify areas of service review and development with a view to developing specific pieces of work and/or task groups focused upon them.
• Work closely with other statutory and voluntary organisations to ensure collaboration, sharing of information, joint work and partnership development, and to work in partnership with existing forums, networks and sub-groups relating to health and social care issues.
• Review the implementation of work programmes and action plans relevant to BME communities in health and social care and challenge lack of progress when appropriate and necessary.
• Raise the profile of the Forum by organising seminars and other publicity avenues to discuss the wide range of health and ethnicity issues.
• Work with the PCTs and other NHS Trusts, professional bodies and academic institutions to encourage further research and development on health and ethnicity.
• Provide a model of good practice in partnership working between the statutory sector and BME communities.
• Represent KCW BME communities in sector and London-wide health forums and networks.

The Forum will do this through:

• Communication, information giving and support between the Forum staff and members.
• Developing knowledge and an understanding of the health concerns of the diverse range of BME communities in KCW.
• Working across the two boroughs in response to the needs and location of BME communities, irrespective of borough boundaries, while at the same time being mindful of, and responsive to, the different priorities and cultures of the statutory authorities.
• Holding quarterly members’ and participants’ meetings for discussion and information exchange.
• Embrace – the quarterly newsletter.
• Structured feedback from the PCTs and other statutory authorities on the Forum’s reports and recommendations on health issues for BME communities.
• Identifying particular health issues and services of concern to members and convening task groups or projects to progress work in these areas.
• Running innovative and effective consultations and community engagement activities, exploring and testing new ideas and practices in community engagement and empowering community groups through training to enable them to undertake in-depth consultations.
• Producing reports on issues arising from task groups and projects.
• Tracking implementation plans, monitoring effectiveness, challenging any lack of progress and engaging in a positive dialogue on health improvement strategies for BME communities.
• Demonstrating excellence in its commitment to, and implementation of, partnership working.
• Commenting on national and local government policies, strategies and proposals that affect the health of BME communities.
• Involvement - where resources allow - in sector, London-wide and national networks and forums on national strategies and standards.
• Facilitating the involvement of BME Forum members in health planning processes and identifying areas of good practice in developing and enabling BME groups to engage in policy issues related to planning, commissioning and reviewing services.