AskMyDoc: engaging, educating, and empowering global majority communities on health

Health inequities disproportionality affects global majority patients, due to socio-economic disadvantage. This leads to poorer health outcomes, in terms of morbidity and mortality. Community based interventions are ways by which to improve the health of these underserved communities. AskMyDoc is a charity that was founded in 2011, with the aim to engage, educate and empower ethnic minority communities. This paper aims to highlight the work of the organisation, reflecting on the highlights and challenges of breaking down barriers to health for global majority patients. AskMyDoc has engaged through delivery of multiple talks and workshops in local community spaces, providing discussions in multiple languages. It contributed to health literacy during Covid-19, through creation of over 200 videos relating to Covid-19 and cancer screening awareness. Collaboration with charities and health organisations has been key to the success of the work, as has developing medical students and resident doctors through the work. AskMyDoc has demonstrated the positive impact of grassroots health promotion and advocacy. Despite challenges of a sustained volunteer workforce and funding restrictions, it demonstrates a path by which to better serve global majority patients in the United Kingdom.