Daniel Cox, Consultant
Health inequalities remain one of the most urgent challenges in modern healthcare. These unfair and avoidable disparities in access, care experiences, and health outcomes disproportionately affect vulnerable groups such as those in high-deprivation areas, Black, Asian, and minority ethnic communities, and inclusion health groups like people experiencing homelessness.
NHS acute trusts are uniquely positioned to address these inequalities by driving change to create a more equitable healthcare system. This can be achieved through several key approaches.
Leveraging data-driven insights
Knowledge is power. Data analytics play a crucial role in health systems to understand the specific health disparities in their communities.
- Data collection and analysis: By systematically gathering, analysing, and interpreting health outcome data across various demographics, acute trusts can identify disparities and work with communities to develop targeted interventions.
Co-producing solutions with communities
Engaging local communities as equal partners is essential to reducing health inequalities. By working collaboratively with patients, carers and other residents to identify challenges and co-design solutions, acute trusts can ensure that interventions are relevant, culturally sensitive, and effective.
- Genuine co-production: Investing time in co-production with communities may seem resource-intensive, but it can lead to more sustainable and impactful solutions, based on a deep understanding of what the real problem is and how to solve it, that ultimately save time and money. This approach empowers communities, enhancing their capacity and capability, and fosters long-term positive outcomes.
Addressing the wider determinants of health
Acute trusts have the influence and resources to convene multi-sector partnerships that address the broader determinants of health, such as education, employment, and housing.
- Strategic alliances: Trusts can lead collaborations between community organisations, local businesses, and governmental agencies to tackle systemic health inequalities. For example, a trust might spearhead initiatives to improve local air quality, directly benefiting community health and promoting health equity.
NHS trusts as anchor institutions
Since the publication of the 2019 Health Foundation report, Building healthier communities: the role of the NHS as an anchor institution, the focus has shifted towards the broader impact of NHS trusts. In addition to providing healthcare, they serve as anchor institutions that can drive socioeconomic improvements in their communities.
- Social value in procurement practices: Incorporating social value approaches in procurement can help address structural inequalities by creating local job opportunities. By ensuring these opportunities are effectively leveraged, NHS trusts can drive meaningful change in their communities.
- Economic stabilisation and employment: By hiring locally, offering apprenticeships, and supporting local procurement, NHS trusts can help combat poverty, a root cause of health disparities. These efforts can play a significant role in creating healthier communities.
Case study
TPHC recently worked with North West London Integrated Care System (ICS) to conduct a stocktake of their Anchor Strategy where we helped identify key areas where anchor institutions can make a substantial impact. TPHC’s efforts reinforced the need for NHS trusts to act collectively and at scale when addressing health inequalities at ICS level.
This approach, supported by a renewed Anchor Charter, ensures that actions are focused, measurable, and aligned with the overarching goal of reducing health disparities, particularly within the most deprived populations.
Integrating services and building partnerships
Collaboration across sectors is essential for addressing the complex factors contributing to health inequalities. Acute trusts must foster partnerships and play a full role in the integration of services to ensure comprehensive care for all.
- Holistic care: as part of integrated care systems, acute trusts are working closely with social care providers; primary, community and mental health providers; voluntary organisations and housing authorities to address the broader needs of patients, ensuring that care extends beyond hospital walls.
- Promoting health careers: Partnering with schools and colleges to promote health careers can also play a role in addressing workforce shortages and encouraging diversity in healthcare professions.
Facilitating knowledge sharing and best practices
Continuous learning and improvement are essential for driving innovation in healthcare. Acute trusts can foster this culture by promoting knowledge sharing and best practice both as part of their local integrated care system and region, and through more specialist routes.
- Innovative solutions: New ways of working can improve access to care for underserved populations. These could involve mobile health clinics in areas of high need as well as telehealth services and health apps (with alternatives for people who are not online).
- Knowledge sharing platforms: Sharing best practice and lessons learned (for example on FutureNHS) can help scale successful interventions across the NHS.
- Workshops and training: By offering workshops and training, acute trusts can equip all their workforce with the skills needed to address health inequalities effectively.
Tackling health inequalities together
Addressing health inequalities is a complex challenge requiring systemic change, but the commitment across the NHS is strong and together, lasting improvement can be achieved. TPHC recognises the significance of this commitment and we are dedicated to supporting acute trusts in their efforts to reduce these disparities.
Our expertise in system transformation, integrated care, data analytics, community engagement, and sustainability can help trusts implement effective strategies to create a more equitable healthcare system.
Contact us
Reach out to us to discuss how we can help enhance your strategy for reducing health inequalities and building a fairer healthcare system for all. We provide resource and expertise in:
- Strategic planning: We collaborate with NHS trusts to develop comprehensive strategies that focus on reducing health disparities.
- Change management: We provide guidance on transitioning to more equitable healthcare models, including training staff, optimising resources, and ensuring sustainable change.
Email us to discuss how we can support you too.
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