May 22 2020 27 mins
Dr Megan Parsons is an NHS doctor who specialises in mental health, who works in London.
The narrative around frontline workers has been one of heroism since the global pandemic began. While it is undeniable that health workers have been doing a fantastic job for the sake of us all, the reality is much more bleak. Austerity and government cuts have brought the NHS to its knees even before the crisis began.
As a health worker from a BAME (black and minority ethnic) background, Megan has been speaking out on the injustices in society which cause inequality. The death toll of people from BAME backgrounds has been extraordinarily high. Not simply a matter of genetics, there is a history of exclusion and poverty behind these figures which sees BAME people excluded from top-tier jobs, more likely to suffer poverty-related illnesses and less likely to receive adequate protection.
We sat down to discuss privatisation, health and social care under Coronavirus and why the death toll among people from BAME backgrounds has been so high.
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Produced and recorded by Rena Niamh Smith. Theme music by Benjamin Tassie. Artwork by Fleur Beck. Sound engineering by Gibran Farrah. Consultation by Ben Weaver-Hincks. Original illustrations and social media editing by Charlotte Rose Watts. Special thanks to Chloe Vasseghi