Search the hub
Showing results for tags 'Health Disparities'.
Found 811 results
-
Content ArticleIn this report, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) comments on progress following publication of its 'Out of sight – who cares?' report in October 2020, and highlights the main areas where further work is still needed.
-
Content ArticleThe Homecare Association calls on central government to invest properly in homecare, so we can address unmet need, reduce inequalities, extend healthy life expectancy of older and disabled people and reduce pressure on the NHS. To gain an up-to-date view of the additional funding required for homecare to ensure an adequate supply of good quality, sustainable services, the Homecare Association submitted enquiries under Freedom of Information legislation to 340 public organisations which purchase homecare across the United Kingdom. These consisted of local authorities, Health and Social Care (HSC) Trusts in Northern Ireland and NHS bodies. Each public organisation was asked to provide several pieces of information, including the prices (lowest, highest, average) it pays to independent and voluntary sector homecare providers for the provision of regulated homecare services, delivered to people aged 65 years or above in their own home, during a sample week in April 2021. The Homecare Deficit 2021 report presents the analysis of the data received, and thus exposes the continued deficit in funding for homecare services in the United Kingdom.
-
Content ArticleThis study in Social Science & Medicine aimed to fill a gap in existing research by exploring public views of health inequalities and potential policy responses in three UK cities in July 2016. This involved a nationally representative survey and three two-day citizens' juries that took place in Glasgow, Manchester and Liverpool. The results of the study demonstrate significant public support for proposals that aim to tackle health inequalities through improvements to living and working conditions. There is more limited support for proposals targeting individual behaviour change,
-
Content Article
Is the FDA Failing Women? (September 2021)
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Women's health
Many devices in current use were marketed before the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began regulating devices in 1976. Thus, manufacturers of these devices were not required to demonstrate safety and effectiveness, which presents both clinical and ethical problem for patients, especially for women, as some of the most dangerous devices—such as implanted contraceptive devices— are used only in women. This article from Madris Kinard and Rita F. Redberg investigates whether and to what extent devices for women receive less rigorous scrutiny than devices for men. This article also suggests how the FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health could more effectively ensure safety and effectiveness of devices that were marketed prior to 1976. -
Content ArticleThis report for the World Health Organisation outlines concepts and principles for policy action to tackle social inequities that impact on health outcomes.
-
Content ArticleThis report for the World Health Organisation outlines approaches to promoting greater equity in health between different social and occupational groups. It follows of from the report 'Concepts and principles for tackling social inequities in health: Levelling up part 1' and draws on the work of WHO advisory groups, together with practical examples from industrialised countries where strategies have been put into action.
-
News Article
Ministers pledge to ‘reset the dial’ on women’s health in England
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Ministers have pledged to “reset the dial” on women’s health to tackle decades of gender inequality in England, with plans to appoint a women’s health tsar, eradicate medical taboos, boost menopause support and ban harmful “virginity repair” operations. The Department of Health and Social Care has published its Vision for Women’s Health strategy after 100,000 women came forward to share their healthcare concerns. Maria Caulfield, the minister for women’s health, described some of their experiences as “shocking”. The vision document sets out initial government commitments on women’s health, recognising that “systemwide changes” are needed to tackle “decades of gender health inequality”. The final plan – the Women’s Health Strategy – will be published in spring 2022. On Wednesday night, ministers pledged to introduce legislation criminalising hymenoplasty or any procedure to rebuild or repair the hymen. Such surgery creates scar tissue so that a woman will bleed the next time she has intercourse, making it appear she has never had sex. Young women can be forced to prove they are “pure” on their wedding night. Doctors have called for a ban on the surgery for years, saying it can never be justified on health grounds and is harmful. Separately, the government will appoint a women’s health ambassador to raise the profile of key issues and boost awareness of taboo topics. Ministers will also establish a UK-wide menopause taskforce to investigate how women going through the menopause can be better supported. The cost of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) prescriptions will also be cut by implementing longer prescribing cycles so women will need fewer prescriptions and therefore pay less. The consultation provided “stark and sobering insights” into women’s experiences of health and care and highlighted entrenched problems within the NHS, officials said. Ministers are also considering compulsory training for GPs on women’s health after the idea was raised by women who came forward. The vision document said: “We also heard about a lack of awareness amongst some GPs of the causes of infertility, miscarriages and their relationship with infertility, and the reasons for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) failure.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 22 December 2021 Related reading Gender bias: A threat to women’s health (August 2020) Dangerous exclusions: The risk to patient safety of sex and gender bias Patient Safety Learning: Women’s Health Strategy Consultation Response -
Content Article
The Dahlgren-Whitehead rainbow (1991)
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Health inequalities
The Dahlgren-Whitehead rainbow is a model for determining health inequalities that maps the relationship between the individual, their environment and health. It was developed in 1991 by Göran Dahlgren and Margaret Whitehead and places individuals at the centre, with various layers of influences on health surrounding them, such as individual lifestyle factors, community influences, living and working conditions, and more general social conditions. The model remains one of the most effective illustrations of health determinants, and has had widespread impact in research on health inequality and influences. It has helped researchers develop a range of hypotheses about the determinants of health, explore the relative influence of these determinants on different health outcomes and plot the interactions between the various determinants. -
Content ArticleThis study in the British Journal of General Practice aims to identify and understand the unintended consequences of online consultations in primary care. The authors interviewed 19 patients and 18 general practice staff at eight general practices using online consultation tools in South West and North West England between February 2019 and January 2020. The study found the following unintended consequences of online consultation: Creation of difficulties for some patients in communicating effectively with a GP. The system disadvantaged digitally-excluded patients. Patient uncertainty about how their queries were dealt with, and whether practices used online consultations as their preferred method for patients to contact the practice. Creation of additional work for some staff. Isolation and dissatisfaction for some staff.
-
Content Article
This is the third of a short series of blogs in which we take a look back at our work in five areas of patient safety during 2021. In this blog we look at how we’ve been highlighting patient safety concerns relating to health inequalities. Through our work, Patient Safety Learning seeks to harness the knowledge, insights, enthusiasm and commitment of health and social care organisations, professionals and patients for system-wide change and the reduction of avoidable harm. We believe patient safety is not just another priority; it is a core purpose of health and social care. Patient safety should not be negotiable. -
Content Article
Webinar - Inequalities in maternity care (8 December 2021)
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Maternity
This is the recording of a webinar about inequalities in maternity care hosted by the National Maternity and Perinatal Audit (NMPA). The webinar features presentations on a Lancet article 'Adverse pregnancy outcomes attributable to socioeconomic and ethnic inequalities in England: a national cohort study' and on the NMPA report 'Ethnic and socio-economic inequalities in NHS maternity and perinatal care for women and their babies'. The Q&A panel features: Professor Eddie Morris Clo and Tinuke, Five X more Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP Professor Jacqui Dunkley-Bent Professor Marian Knight Professor Asma Khalil -
Content ArticleThe Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Audit (CVDPREVENT) is a national primary care audit that automatically extracts routinely held GP data. This tool provides open access to the data, with clear, actionable insights for those tasked with improving cardiovascular health in England.
-
Content ArticleIn this blog, David Buck and Toby Lewis of the King's Fund describe NHS England and NHS Improvement's new 'Core20plus5' approach to tackling health inequalities. They identify risks to the effectiveness of the strategy and highlight the importance of a partnership approach to tackling health inequalities.
-
News ArticleLessons learnt in relation to increasing uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine among ethnic minority groups should now be applied to the booster programme, a government progress report recommends. This includes continuing to use respected local voices to build trust and to help tackle misinformation, the report from the government’s Race Disparity Unit says. Such approaches should also be carried over to the winter flu and childhood immunisation programmes and be applied to the work to tackle longer standing health disparities. In June 2020 the minister for equalities was asked to look at why COVID-19 was having a disproportionate impact on ethnic minority groups and to consider how the government response to this could be improved. This latest report is the final one of four. Taken together the reports identified that the main factors behind the higher risk of COVIDd-19 infection for ethnic minority groups include occupation, living in multigenerational households, and living in densely populated urban areas with poor air quality and high levels of deprivations. Read full story Source: BMJ, 3 December 2021
-
Content ArticleThis report provides an update on cross-government work to address the disparities highlighted by the Public Health England report 'COVID-19: review of disparities in risks and outcomes', published in June 2020. It sets out how the Government's understanding of and response to the pandemic changed over the lifecycle of this work. The report also includes a summary of progress against recommendations from previous reports, lessons learned from this work and an action plan for addressing some of the longer-term issues identified.
-
Content ArticleIn this blog Dr Peter Green, CVDPREVENT Workstream Clinical Lead for the NHS Benchmarking Network, looks at the importance of understanding how demographic factors impact the risk of cardiovascular disease, which is a leading risk factor for premature death. He discusses how the CVDPREVENT audit will help primary care healthcare professionals work with their patients to achieve better outcomes for all.
-
Content ArticleIn this podcast for the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Dr Ayisha Ashmore and Dr Faizan Ahmed discuss the CQC's GP Inequalities Project which is investigating the concern that GPs from an ethnic minority background receive poorer CQC ratings or regulatory outcomes.
-
Content ArticleRacially and ethnically minoritised healthcare staff groups disproportionately experience and witness workplace discrimination from patients, colleagues and managers. This is visible in their under-representation at senior levels and over-representation in disciplinary proceedings and is associated with adversities such as greater depression, anxiety, somatic symptoms, low job satisfaction and sickness absence. In the UK, little progress has been made despite the implementation of measures to tackle racialised inequities in the health services. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 48 healthcare staff in London (UK), Woodhead et al. identified how micro-level bullying, prejudice, discrimination and harassment behaviours, independently and in combination, exploit and maintain meso-level racialised hierarchies.
-
EventuntilCore20PLUS5 is a national NHS England and NHS Improvement approach to support the reduction of health inequalities at both national and system level. The approach defines a target population cohort – the ‘Core20PLUS’ – and identifies ‘5’ focus clinical areas requiring accelerated improvement. This webinar introduces the approach and how it can be implemented as well as summarises key findings from a survey on the approach. Registration will close on 14 December 2021 at 1pm. Joining instructions will be sent to registered delegates by 5pm on 14 December 2021. Register using your NHS/work email address Speakers: Dr Bola Owolabi, Director – Health Inequalities, NHS England and NHS Improvement Dr Marina Soltan, Health Inequalities Improvement Clinical Policy and Delivery Lead - Data and Research, NHS England and NHS Improvement Dr Shahed Ahmad, National Clinical Director for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, NHS England and NHS Improvement Prof. Edward Kunonga, Director of population Health Management at North England commissioning Support Core20: The most deprived 20% of the national population as identified by the national Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD). The IMD has seven domains with indicators accounting for a wide range of social determinants of health. PLUS: Integrated Care System (ICS)-determined population groups experiencing poorer than average health access, experience and/or outcomes, but not captured in the ‘Core20’ alone. This should be based on ICS population health data. Inclusion health groups include: ethnic minority communities, coastal communities, people with multi-morbidities, protected characteristic groups, people experiencing homelessness, drug and alcohol dependence, vulnerable migrants, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, sex workers, people in contact with the justice system, victims of modern slavery and other socially excluded groups. 5: The final part sets out five clinical areas of focus. Governance for these five focus areas sits with national programmes; national and regional teams coordinate local systems to achieve national aims. Maternity: ensuring continuity of care for 75% of women from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities and from the most deprived groups. Severe mental illness (SMI): ensuring annual health checks for 60% of those living with SMI (bringing SMI in line with the success seen in learning disabilities). Chronic respiratory disease: a clear focus on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) driving up uptake of COVID, flu and pneumonia vaccines to reduce infective exacerbations and emergency hospital admissions due to those exacerbations. Early cancer diagnosis: 75% of cases diagnosed at stage 1 or 2 by 2028. Hypertension case-finding: to allow for interventions to optimise blood pressure and minimise the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke.
-
News Article
Mental health access frustration for deaf people
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Deaf people are twice as likely to suffer mental health problems than those with hearing, a report has found. The All Wales Deaf Mental Health and Wellbeing Group said help in Wales was behind the rest of the UK and it wants to see significant improvements. It also described the inequalities faced by deaf people trying to access mental health support as "really frustrating". The Welsh government said it would consider the findings of the report. Ffion Griffiths, 23, from Neath, has been deaf since birth, and accessing child and adolescent mental health services in Wales has been a problem over the years. She had to travel to England to get the support she needed. "It's really frustrating because deaf people in England have more opportunities," she said. It means they can be treated and get better quicker but for us, how can we do that?" "How can we expect to recover if we don't have access to the services or any pathways for us to follow to get the treatment that we need in Wales?" Read full story Source: BBC News, 8 December 2021 -
Content ArticleThis report describes the findings of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) review of children and young people’s mental health services. The report focuses on three main aspects of the mental health system for children and young people: People’s experience of and involvement in care How partners plan and deliver services that offer high quality care that can be accessed in a timely fashion How partners in the local area identify mental health needs and what they do to start the process of getting the right support for children and young people The CQC spoke with staff working across different parts of the system, children, young people, parents, families and carers. They also reviewed policies and procedures, and used ‘case-tracking’ to examine in detail how individual children and young people with mental health problems moved through the system.
-
Content ArticleThe emergence of the omicron variant has raised concerns that the pandemic is not yet over. In this BMJ opinion piece, William et al. outline four key lessons that governments need to learn from to protect against future pandemics
-
Content ArticleThis study in Pain Research and Management reviewed available literature about gender bias in the treatment of pain and gendered norms towards patients with chronic pain. The authors found that gendered norms about men and women with pain are present in research from different scientific fields. They highlight that awareness of the issue can help counteract gender bias in healthcare and support healthcare professionals to provide more equitable care.
-
Content ArticleIn this opinion piece for the BMJ, David Oliver, a consultant in geriatrics and acute general medicine, draws lessons from the Grenfell Tower disaster and subsequent public inquiry. 72 people lost their lives in the fire that destroyed Grenfell Tower in 2017. Evidence to the public inquiry has shown that several residents had raised concerns about the building's safety over many years, and that architects, building contractors, and providers and fitters of cladding material had also expressed concerns about the safety of the exterior cladding used on Grenfell Tower. David Oliver highlights that had these concerns been listened to and acted on, the disaster could have been avoided and many lives saved. He draws parallels with concerns being raised by patients about the safety of the healthcare system and highlights the role of staff in repeatedly raising and keeping a record of concerns. He states that NHS leaders must create a culture where no one is afraid to speak out and act to mitigate safety issues. Leaders must expect to be held accountable for their response - or lack of response - to safety issues raised.
-
Content ArticleThis training documentary by the South East Perinatal Mental Health team explores race inequalities within the NHS maternity system. It uncovers the stories behind the MBRRACE report figures and looks for answers from leading race and diversity health professionals and campaigners. In the film, midwives and mothers talk frankly about the issues and how individuals can make a difference to create a positive impact on race inequality outcomes for mothers and within maternity teams.
