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Showing results for tags 'Health Disparities'.
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Content ArticleAccording to patient safety campaigners, hundreds of women have been forced to endure “barbaric” pain while undergoing hysteroscopy tests after being denied pain relief options and anaesthetists were not available. HSJ recently reported that campaigners have identified at least 240 women who underwent the procedure without being told they were entitled to a general anaesthetic to manage the pain of the invasive test and we have seen similar stories on the hub community forum on the topic. Guidance for doctors says pain relief should always be discussed. Instead, these women were found to be underinformed about their own rights and expected to simply endure what can be an incredibly painful process of internal investigation. Just because some women report only minimal or no discomfort, that does not mean this is a painless procedure; for those who do suffer, the experience can be very traumatic. To say these women did not need and could not be provided with a choice of anaesthetic or other analgesic is a form of medical gaslighting, writes Hannah Fearn in this article for the Independent.
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Content ArticleThe current hospital backlog has had a huge impact on many patients waiting for treatment. But if you are a woman, on a low income or from an ethnic minority background, you are more likely to have a worse experience of waiting for care. Research from Healthwatch has highlighted people were unhappy with the communications they received and the lack of support the NHS gave them to help with things like pain relief or accessing physiotherapy. These concerns were not experienced equally by all, and findings were particularly stark among disabled people, those with long term health conditions, and those on lower incomes. A new poll of 1,000 adults on NHS waiting lists shows that a poorer experience of waiting can be linked to factors such as wealth, disability, level of education, gender or ethnicity.
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Content ArticleIn this podcast for The Guardian, Madeleine Finlay speaks to Michael Marmot, Professor of Epidemiology and Director of the Institute of Health Equity at University College London, about the impact of the cost of living crisis on people's health. They talk about the ways that poverty makes people sicker and why falling income is so bad for the country’s health.
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Content ArticleThis long read by The King's Fund aims to explain the reforms brought about by The Health and Care Act 2022, and what these changes will mean in practice. it gives short and long answers to the following questions: What are the main changes brought about by the Act? Is this an unnecessary top-down reorganisation? Will the Act lead to greater involvement of the private sector? Does the Act give ministers more power over the day-to-day running of the NHS? Will the Act make any difference to patients? Does the Act tackle the big challenges the health and care system currently faces?
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Content ArticleIn April 2022, Whose Shoes were invited to run a workshop in Croydon in support of the HEARD campaign - Health Equity and Racial Disparity in Maternity. Women and families from Croydon came together to talk to healthcare professionals about what makes a difference in maternity care, and raising awareness of some of the issues faced by people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities - not just the 'service users' but staff experiences too.
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Content Article
ARMA - MSK Health inequalities resources
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Health inequalities
The Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA) has compiled relevant and useful resources and information specifically about musculoskeletal health inequalities. The resources include research studies, reports and reviews, and cover these areas: Social deprivation Ethnicity Sex, gender and sexual orientation Health literacy and education level Multiple factors Children and young people Webinars -
Content ArticleUK Asian and Black ethnic groups have poorer outcomes for some cancers and are less likely to report a positive care experience than their White counterparts it was found in a study from Martins et al. reported in the British Journal of Cancer. The study investigated ethnic differences in the route to diagnosis (RTD) to identify areas in patients' cancer journeys where inequalities lie and targeted intervention might have optimum impact. Across the 10 cancers studied, most patients were diagnosed via the two-week wait (36.4%), elective GP referral (23.2%), emergency (18.2%), hospital routes (10.3%), and screening (8.61%). Patients of Other ethnic group had the highest proportion of diagnosis via the emergency route, followed by White patients. Asian and Black group were more likely to be GP-referred, with the Black and Mixed groups also more likely to follow the two-week wait route. However, there were notable cancer-specific differences in the RTD by ethnicity. These findings suggest that, where inequalities exist, the adverse cancer outcomes among Asian and Black patients are unlikely to be arising solely from a poorer diagnostic process.
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Content Article
Medical misogyny by Iona Winters (30 May 2022)
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Women's health
Twelve years ago, Iona Winters had a TVT-O (transvaginal tape through the obturator region) implanted to assist her bladder, after decades of gynaecological surgeries. Last year she had the mesh removed by two specialist surgeons. In this blog, Iona describes the pain she has to endure, her experiences of medical misogyny and discusses the international mesh scandal. -
Content ArticleMaternal outcomes for Black women are significantly worse than for white women - Black women are four times more likely to die during pregnancy, labour, or postpartum and are twice as likely to have their baby die in the womb or soon after birth. They are also at an increased risk of readmission to hospital in the six weeks after giving birth. This report by the organisation Five X More presents the findings of a survey into black women's experiences of maternity services in the UK. The survey aimed to understand how maternity care is delivered from the perspective of women from the Black community, and 1,340 Black and Black mixed women responded, sharing their experiences. It seeks to highlight the real life encounters behind the known disparities in maternal care. Women reported far more negative experiences than positive, and most of these experiences centred around interactions with healthcare professionals. The authors highlight three factors related to healthcare professionals that contribute to damaging interactions, to do with their attitudes, knowledge and assumptions. The report includes many quotes from Black women about their experiences of NHS care and the damaging long-term consequences of this, such as fear of having another baby, reluctance to engage with health services and mental health issues.
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Content ArticleIn Sierra Leone, 34% of pregnancies and 40% of maternal deaths are amongst teenagers and risks are known to be higher for younger teenagers. This qualitative study in Reproductive Health aimed to explore the causes of this high incidence of maternal death for younger teenagers, and to identify possible interventions to improve outcomes. Through focus groups and semi-structured interviews, the authors identified transactional sex - including sex for school fees, sex with teachers for grades and sex for food and clothes - as the main cause of high pregnancy rates for this group. They also identified gendered social norms for sexual behaviour, lack of access to contraception and the fact that abortion is illegal in Sierra Leone as factors meaning that teenage girls are more likely to become pregnant. Key factors affecting vulnerability to death once pregnant included abandonment, delayed care seeking and being cared for by a non-parental adult. Their findings challenge the idea that adolescent girls have the necessary agency to make straightforward choices about their sexual behaviour and contraceptives. They identify a mentoring scheme for the most vulnerable pregnant girls and a locally managed blood donation register as potential interventions to deal with the high rate of maternal death amongst teenage girls.
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Content ArticleSystemic racism in maternity care is an urgent human rights issue. For too long, evidence and narratives about why racial inequities in maternal outcomes persist have focussed on Black and Brown bodies being the problem – ‘defective’, ‘other’, a risk to be managed. Birthrights’ year-long inquiry into racial injustice has heard testimony from women, birthing people, healthcare professionals and lawyers outlining how systemic racism within maternity care – from individual interactions and workforce culture through to curriculums and policies – can have a deep and devastating impact on basic rights in childbirth. This jeopardises Black and Brown women and birthing people’s safety, dignity, choice, autonomy, and equality. The inquiry’s report, Systemic Racism, Not Broken Bodies, uncovers the stories behind the statistics and demonstrates that it is racism, not broken bodies, that is at the root of many inequities in maternity outcomes and experiences.
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Content ArticleThe results of an analysis published by Cancer Research UK estimate that more than 21 million UK adults will be obese by 2040, which equates to almost 4 in 10 of the UK adult population (36%). The analysis also suggests that if current overweight and obesity trends continue, the number of UK adults who are overweight or obese may exceed this, reaching around 7 in 10 people, or 42 million people, by 2040, 71% of the population. Worryingly, the report also indicates that the number of people who are obese could overtake the number who are a healthy weight in the UK by 2040. This ‘tipping point’ could happen as early as the late 2020s for the UK as a whole and England, with Northern Ireland following suit in the late 2030s. For Scotland and Wales, the crossover is not expected to happen before 2040. The report also suggests those experiencing higher levels of deprivation could suffer the most. In England in 2019, 35% of people living in the most deprived areas were obese, and this is estimated to increase to almost half (46%) by 2040. In comparison, 22% of people living in the least deprived areas were obese in 2019 and this is estimated to increase to 25%. These projections predict an increase in the relative deprivation gap for obesity prevalence between the least and most deprived quintiles by 13%, from 45% in 2019, to 58% by 2040 in England. Obesity increases the risk of at least 13 different types of cancer. Every year around 22,800 cases of cancer in the UK are due to being overweight or obese. More research is needed to understand the link between obesity and cancer.
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Content ArticleAn expert committee will extend the vision for the nursing profession into 2030 and chart a path for the nursing profession to help create a culture of health, reduce health disparities, and improve the health and well-being of the US population in the 21st century. The committee will consider newly emerging evidence related to the COVID-19 global pandemic and include recommendations regarding the role of nurses in responding to the crisis created by a pandemic.
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Content ArticlePersonalised care and support planning (PCSP) is a systematic process based around 'better conversations' between the person and their health and social care practitioners. The aim is to identify what is most important to each person for them to achieve a good life, and to ensure that the support they receive is designed and coordinated around their wishes. It's goal is to empower people to be the main decision-maker in their own care, and to arrive at one plan that encompasses all the person's care needs. This tool has been developed by Think Local Act Personal to support PCSP for people with health and social care needs. Featuring example characters who help bring the process to life, it covers the following stages of the PCSP process: Context Preparation Conversation Record Making it happen Review
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Content ArticleThis first report in National Voices' ‘Behind the Headlines’ series gathers insight and intelligence from member organisations on what the cost of living crisis means for people living with ill health. It examines the close link between poverty and health, highlighting that people living in poverty are more likely to be living in poor health. Equally, lack of support for people living with ill health and disability can make people poor. The report gathers case studies and data on topics including include cancer, kidney conditions, older people and homelessness. It makes a set of recommendations based on this insight.
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Content ArticleDespite widespread condemnation of the UK's asylum partnership arrangement with Rwanda, the Home Office appears to be going ahead with its plans to relocate to east Africa people who it deems to have arrived illegally and who are therefore not eligible for asylum in the UK. The policy, formed in response to increasing arrivals of migrants in small boats (28 500 arrived to the UK in 2021), has been hailed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson as the “morally right thing to do”, and is designed to deter refugees from entering the country through “illegal, dangerous or unnecessary methods”. Faith leaders, charities, civil servants, and members of parliament in the UK have denounced the plan as unethical, wrong, racist, and callous—sentiments echoed by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International. The agreement is unfair and shameful. It might be illegal and is certainly immoral. It is also undoubtedly bad for health.
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Content ArticleIn a UK-first report launched in the House of Commons, leading figures from charity, healthcare, industry, law and academia have outlined a collaborative vision for UK leadership to improve maternal health. The Healthy Mum, Healthy Baby, Healthy Future: The Case for UK Leadership in the Development of Safe, Effective and Accessible Medicines for Use in Pregnancy report proposes a clear roadmap to improve the lives of millions of people, not just for women while they are pregnant, but for future generations. Over the past year, a Birmingham Health Partners led Policy Commission – co-chaired by Baroness Manningham-Buller, Co-president of Chatham House and Professor Peter Brocklehurst, University of Birmingham – has heard from key stakeholders on how best to develop safe, effective and accessible medicines for use in pregnancy. Compelling evidence gathered throughout the process has informed eight critical recommendations which, if implemented by government, will successfully prevent needless deaths and find new therapeutics to treat life-threatening conditions affecting mothers and their babies.
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Content ArticleThis report has been developed by the Patient Coalition for AI, Data and Digital Tech in Health, which aims to unite representatives from patient advocacy groups, including Patient Safety Learning, Royal Colleges, medical charities, industry and other stakeholders committed to ensuring that patient interests lie at the heart of digital health policy and discussions. The report focuses on how programmes have worked with patients to reduce digital health inequalities, by supporting those who are unable to access and use the internet and digital devices to improve their health and general wellbeing.
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Content ArticlePregnant women seeking asylum in the UK face many challenges in accessing healthcare and support during pregnancy and after birth. In this blog, Ros Bragg, director of Maternity Action, highlights evidence the organisation recently gave to the Women and Equalities Select Committee as part of their inquiry into equality and the UK asylum system. She highlights the inadequate level of financial support given to pregnant women seeking asylum, which means they are not able to eat healthily or buy necessary equipment during the perinatal period. She also draws attention to the fact that recent updates to the Home Office policy on dispersal for pregnant women - that state that they should not be moved more than once during pregnancy, and should be moved to suitable accommodation - are not being followed in practice. This prevents women seeking asylum from accessing consistent healthcare and building trust and relationships with midwives and other healthcare professionals.
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Content Article
Being an anti-racist clinician (4 February 2022)
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Health inequalities
Racism is a pervasive problem in Western society, leading to mental and physical unwellness in people from racialised groups. Psychology began as a racist discipline and still is. As such, most clinical training and curricula do not operate from an anti-racist framework. Although most therapists have seen clients with stress and trauma due to racialisation, very few were taught how to assess or treat it. Furthermore, clinicians and researchers can cause harm when they rely on White-dominant cultural norms that do not serve people of colour well. This paper from Racism is a pervasive problem in Western society, leading to mental and physical unwellness in people from racialized groups. Psychology began as a racist discipline and still is. As such, most clinical training and curricula do not operate from an anti-racist framework. Although most therapists have seen clients with stress and trauma due to racialisation, very few were taught how to assess or treat it. Furthermore, clinicians and researchers can cause harm when they rely on White-dominant cultural norms that do not serve people of colour well. This paper from Williams et al. discusses how clinicians can recognize and embrace an anti-racism approach in practice, research, and life in general. Included is a discussion of recent research on racial microaggressions, the difference between being a racial justice ally and racial justice saviour, and new research on what racial allyship entails. Ultimately, the anti-racist clinician will achieve a level of competency that promotes safety and prevents harm coming to those they desire to help, and they will be an active force in bringing change to those systems that propagate emotional harm in the form of racism. -
Content ArticleThe Mental Health Foundation proudly support Black Maternal Mental Health Week in this blog for The Motherhood Group on the experiences of Black mothers.
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Content ArticleIn general approximately 1 in 5 women from all different backgrounds experience perinatal mental health difficulties – that is mental health challenges during the perinatal period which is defined as one year after the birth of a baby. However, for black women perinatal mental health difficulties often go unidentified, and thus untreated, placing them at a disadvantage when it comes to seeking professional help. For this year's Black Maternal Mental Health Week, Global Black Maternal Health is proud to support The Motherhood Group as they continue to raise awareness on black maternal mental health, with a focus on equity and inequality for black mothers.
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Content ArticleThe rapid uptake of digital healthcare channels offers huge benefits, but evidence also suggests a close correlation between digital exclusion and social disadvantage. People with protected characteristics under the Equality Act are among those least likely to have access to the internet and the skills needed to use it. Experts from across health and care came together to contribute to "Access Denied", a new whitepaper on digital health inequalities. This whitepaper sets out recommendations to ensure that those innovating in digital healthcare can do so in a way which addresses healthcare inequalities.
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Content ArticleThe UK health system is under unprecedented strain. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these pressures, but it did not create them. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and its member organisations believe that as a country we are not facing up to the scale of the current challenges and we are not producing any coherent strategy to tackle the problems. Only when we confront these challenges will we be able to begin to fix the NHS. A combination of pressures means that the system is providing care and services which are sub-standard, threaten patient safety and fall below what should be expected in a country with the resources of the United Kingdom. If we do not act with urgency, we risk permanently normalising the unacceptable standards we now witness daily, to the detriment of us all.
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Content ArticleThe aim of the Patient safety inequalities Task and Finish Group (PSIT) is to develop an understanding of solutions to improve patient safety healthcare inequalities. Attached is the group's Terms of Reference.
