The Norwich Research Park is set to host its first Black Health and Research Conference.
The event, scheduled for October 23, is part of UK Black History Month and will be held at the Benjamin Gooch Lecture Theatre at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH).
It is being led by the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic campus representatives group, established by Anglia Innovation Partnership.
The free event will feature speakers from the campus community, including practitioners, science and research experts.
They will discuss inequalities in healthcare access, with presentations on maternity, birthing and early parenthood, mental health challenges and outcomes and diversity in research, science and health.
Roz Bird, CEO of Anglia Innovation Partnership, and Roberta Hook, deputy chief operating officer at NNUH and chairwoman of the NNUH Together Staff Network, will deliver the welcoming speeches.
Roberta Hook said: “I’m thrilled that we are hosting this conference, which is being supported by Norwich Research Park and includes some incredible speakers who are nationally and internationally renowned in their fields of expertise.
“Evidence shows that black people are less likely to seek mental health treatment, but more likely to be detained under the Mental Health Act.
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"When it comes to maternity care, black women are five times more likely to die in childbirth and have adverse maternal outcomes.
"And, in research and science, a very small percentage of the population are black academic researchers or professors.
"We are looking forward to discussing these immensely important topics with our panel of experts from across the research park and NHS.”
Roz Bird added: “That is why it is so important that we do whatever we can to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to contribute to the fabulous research that is undertaken here at Norwich Research Park."
The event is open to the public.
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