Beyond recognition: Structural racism and the health of the Black community: Newcastle University

This year’s Black History Month lecture explores the enduring impact of structural racism on the health and wellbeing of Black communities in the UK. It will highlight the vital contributions of Black healthcare workers, particularly women who migrated from the Caribbean, whose expertise helped build and sustain the NHS. Despite these historic and ongoing contributions, Black communities continue to experience racial inequities in health, employment and career progression. Drawing on contemporary evidence, Dr Curry will explore how structural racism continues to influence health outcomes, access to opportunities, and wider social determinants of health, while considering the actions required to advance racial equity within healthcare and society.

Dr. Gwenetta D. Curry is a Reader in Race, Ethnicity, and Health at the University of Edinburgh’s College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. Her research focuses on racialised health inequalities, maternal health, and Black family studies, specifically investigating the impact of structural racism on health outcomes. She serves as a member of the Scottish Government’s Racialised Health Inequalities Steering Committee and the UK Medical School Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Alliance. Additionally, she is the Inequality Expert for the Royal College of Physicians’ Committee for Ethical Issues in Medicine, convener of the Edinburgh Migration and Ethnicity Health Research Group and co-founder of the Global Migration in Big Cities Network.