The NHS must not allow current political uncertainties and the looming public spending squeeze to derail hard won progress towards race equality, delegates at a London summit for NHS leaders on the matter were warned earlier this week.

Speaking at the summit, which was organised by Race for Health and includes 21 primary care trusts, Gideon Ben-Tovim, its new chairman and chairman of Liverpool Primary Care Trust, said that “race equality and health is coming to a crucial crossroads.”

Citing among other moves the establishment of the Department of Health’s new equality and diversity council, which held its first meeting last week, and imminent equality legislation, he said that leadership was “more committed, systemic, and explicit than ever …