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Content ArticleIn January 2025, the Republican majority in the House of Representatives’ Budget Committee offered a list of possible spending reductions to offset revenue losses from proposed tax cuts. In May, the Committee advanced a bill incorporating several reductions on the list. The Committee estimated that the 6 largest potential Medicaid cuts (for example, work requirements for some Medicaid enrollees) would each reduce the federal government’s Medicaid outlays by at least $100 billion over 10 years. On the basis of the Committee’s estimates of savings; Congressional Budget Office analyses; and peer-reviewed studies of the coverage, financial, and health impacts of past Medicaid expansions and contractions, the authors project the likely effects of each option and of the House bill advanced by the Budget Committee in May. Each option individually would reduce federal Medicaid outlays by between $100 billion and $900 billion over a decade, increase the ranks of the uninsured by between 600 000 and 3 900 000 and the annual number of persons forgoing needed medical care by 129 060 to 838 890, and result in 651 to 12 626 medically preventable deaths annually. Enactment of the House bill advanced in May would increase the number of uninsured persons by 7.6 million and the number of deaths by 16 642 annually, according to a mid-range estimate. These figures exclude harms from lowering provider payments and shrinking benefits, as well as possible repercussions from states increasing taxes or shifting expenditures from other needs to make up for shortfalls in federal Medicaid funding. Policy makers should weigh the likely health and financial harms to patients and providers of reducing Medicaid expenditures against the desirability of tax reductions, which would accrue mostly to wealthy Americans.
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News ArticleDoctors at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals nationwide could refuse to treat unmarried veterans and Democrats under new hospital guidelines imposed following an executive order by Donald Trump. The new rules, obtained by the Guardian, also apply to psychologists, dentists and a host of other occupations. They have already gone into effect in at least some VA medical centers. Medical staff are still required to treat veterans regardless of race, color, religion and sex, and all veterans remain entitled to treatment. But individual workers are now free to decline to care for patients based on personal characteristics not explicitly prohibited by federal law. Language requiring healthcare professionals to care for veterans regardless of their politics and marital status has been explicitly eliminated. Doctors and other medical staff can also be barred from working at VA hospitals based on their marital status, political party affiliation or union activity, documents reviewed by the Guardian show. The changes also affect chiropractors, certified nurse practitioners, optometrists, podiatrists, licensed clinical social workers and speech therapists. In making the changes, VA officials cite the president’s 30 January executive order titled “Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government”. The primary purpose of the executive order was to strip most government protections from transgender people. The VA has since ceased providing most gender-affirming care and forbidden a long list of words, including “gender affirming” and “transgender”, from clinical settings. Medical experts said the implications of rule changes uncovered by the Guardian could be far-reaching. They “seem to open the door to discrimination on the basis of anything that is not legally protected”, said Dr Kenneth Kizer, the VA’s top healthcare official during the Clinton administration. He said the changes open up the possibility that doctors could refuse to treat veterans based on their “reason for seeking care – including allegations of rape and sexual assault – current or past political party affiliation or political activity, and personal behavior such as alcohol or marijuana use”. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 16 June 2025
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Content Article1 million people in the UK are unable to speak English well, or at all. People who speak little or no English are more likely to be in poor health, have a greater likelihood of experiencing adverse events and of developing life-threatening conditions and tend to have poorer access to and experiences of healthcare services than people who don’t have language barriers. They can struggle at all points of their journeys through healthcare. Translation and interpreting services for community languages are inconsistent across the NHS. Support for them by NHS commissioners, national programmes and NHS trusts is variable and the lack of high quality, appropriate and accessible services is stopping people from engaging with the healthcare they need. NHS organisations, including commissioners and trusts, have legal duties to provide accessible and inclusive health communications for patients and the public. This framework is designed to support the provision of consistent, high-quality community language translation and interpreting services by the NHS to people with limited English proficiency. Community languages are defined as languages used by minority groups or communities where a majority language exists (for example, English in the UK). It should be used as a framework for action across the NHS, including by NHS trusts and integrated care boards (ICBs). In primary care, it supplements the existing guidance for commissioners on interpreting and translation services and should be used alongside it.
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News ArticleA senior figure in the health service has criticised it for deep-seated racism after his mother “got a black service, not an NHS service” before she died. Victor Adebowale, the chair of the NHS Confederation, claimed his mother Grace’s lung cancer went undiagnosed because black people get “disproportionately poor” health service care. The NHS’s failure to detect her cancer while she was alive shows that patients experience “two different services”, based on the colour of their skin, Adebowale said. His mother, Grace Amoke Owuren Adebowale, a former NHS nurse, died in January aged 92. He highlighted her care and death during his speech this week at the NHS Confederation’s annual conference as an example of “persistent racial inequalities in NHS services”. His remarks prompted fresh concern about the stark differences between the care received by those from black and other ethnic minority backgrounds and white people. “My mum, who worked for many years as a nurse, died earlier this year at the age of 92. It was difficult. It was not the dignified death that we would have wanted for her,” Adebowale told an audience of NHS bosses. “It wasn’t the death she deserved. So it makes me clear about the need to address the inequity. I think she got a black service, not an NHS service.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 14 June 2025
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News Article
Sickle cell patients to have quicker and more accessible treatment in England
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
People living with sickle cell disease in England are to benefit from quicker and more accessible treatment due to a £9m investment, the government has announced. Apheresis services, which are a type of treatment that removes harmful components from a patient’s blood, are to improve across England through the funding of more specialist treatment centres. The funding will ensure the wider availability of machines that remove a patient’s sickled red blood cells and replace them with healthy donor cells. More than 20 NHS trusts currently offer Spectra Optia technology, a treatment more effective than blood transfusions and having been shown to be highly effective in reducing complications such as iron overload. The investment could save the NHS up to £12.9m every year thanks to a reduction in time spent in hospital for patients and the reduced need for other treatments, according to the government. Wes Streeting, the health and social care secretary, said: “People living with rare conditions like sickle cell disease face immense everyday challenges, and can sometimes struggle to get the specialised care they need. “To make our health service fit for the future, we have to harness the power of new technologies, and these machines provide a shining example of how our government is starting to make huge advancements in digital healthcare. “Through our plan for change, this government will be the one that removes the barriers to getting the latest and best tech to our NHS frontline, so patients can access the best care available, closer to home.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 13 June 2025 -
Content ArticleA new report from National Voices, undertaken in partnership with Future Health and commissioned by AbbVie, reveals the decline in patient experience for those with long-term conditions in recent years. It calls for urgent Government action to address it as part of the forthcoming Ten Year Health Plan, with a focus on improving the way we measure, understand and act on people’s experiences.
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NHS England has set a target that cervical cancer will be eliminated in England by 2040. Although progress has been made in detecting and treating cervical cancer, there are still many women who are reluctant to go for cervical screening, or who face barriers to accessing screening. These barriers include perceived discrimination, lack of understanding the risk of cervical cancer and unmet access needs. This contributes to persistent health inequalities amongst particular groups. Patient Safety Learning has pulled together nine useful resources shared on the hub about how to improve access and overcome barriers to cervical screening. 1. Cervical screening, my way: Women's attitudes and solutions to improve uptake of cervical screening This research by Healthwatch explored why some women are hesitant to go for cervical screening. Based on the findings of a survey of more than 2,400 women who were hesitant about screening, it makes recommendations to policymakers on how to improve uptake, including: improvements to the way data about the disability and ethnicity of people attending screening. producing an NHS-branded trauma card for affected women to bring to appointments. ensuring staff are effectively trained on accessibility and adjustments to care. looking at the possibility of home-based self-screening. 2. Exploring the inequalities of women with learning disabilities deciding to attend and then accessing cervical and breast cancer screening, using the Social Ecological Model Women with learning disabilities are less likely to access cervical and breast cancer screening when compared to the general population. In this study, the Social Ecological Model (SEM) was used to examine the inequalities faced by women with learning disabilities in accessing cervical and breast cancer screening in England. The study highlights key barriers to access for women with learning disabilities. 3. “We’re not taken seriously”: Describing the experiences of perceived discrimination in medical settings for Black women Black women continue to experience disparities in cervical cancer despite targeted efforts. One potential factor affecting screening and prevention is discrimination in medical settings. This US study in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities describes experiences of perceived discrimination in medical settings for Black women and explores the impact of this on cervical cancer screening and prevention. The authors suggest that future interventions should address the poor quality of medical encounters that Black women experience. 4. Top tips for healthcare professionals: Cervical screenings This article by the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists and the My Body Back Project offers tips for healthcare professionals to make cervical cancer screening attendees feel as comfortable as possible during their appointments. Cervical screening can be very daunting for some women, and for those who have experienced sexual violence it can be triggering and cause emotional distress. The article provides tips on communication, making the environment calm and safe, sharing control and building trust with women. 5. The Eve Appeal: What adjustments can you ask for at your cervical screening? The Eve Appeal want to raise awareness of what adaptations women and people with a cervix can ask for during their screening to make the appointment more comfortable. 6. How can reframing women’s health improve outcomes? An interview with Dr Marieke Bigg Dr Marieke Bigg is the author of a 2023 book, This won’t hurt: How medicine fails women. In this interview, Marieke discusses how societal ideas about the female body have restricted the healthcare system’s approach to women’s health and describes the impact this has had on health outcomes. She also highlights areas where the health system is reframing its approach by listening to the needs of women and describes how simple changes, such as allowing women to carry out their own cervical screening at home, can make a big difference. 7. Having a smear test. What is it about? This download A4 Easy Read booklet from Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust uses simple language and pictures to talk about smear tests. It explains what a smear test is, has tips for the person having the test and has a list of words they might hear at their appointment. 8. Health Improvement Scotland: Cervical screening standards Published by Healthcare Improvement Scotland in March, the new cervical screening standards include recommendations to ensure women receive accessible letters and information about screening and healthcare professionals are trained to support women to make informed choices. 9. Cervical cancer screening in women with physical disabilities This US study explored how the cervical cancer screening experiences of women with physical disabilities (WWPD) can be improved. Interviews with WWPD indicated that access to self-sampling options would be more comfortable for cervical cancer screening participation. The authors highlight that these findings that can inform the promotion of self-sampling devices for cervical cancer screening. Have your say Are you a healthcare professional who works in women’s health or cancer services? We would love to hear your insights and share resources you have developed. Perhaps you have an experience of cervical screening or cervical cancer that you would like to share? We would love to hear from you! Comment below (register as a hub member for free first) Get in touch with us directly to share your insights -
Content ArticleDespite comprising half of the global population, women’s health issues are underreported, underrepresented, and underprioritised. Women's health research receives a disproportionate share of funding. Contrary to popular belief, obstetrics and gynaecology alone do not encompass women’s comprehensive health needs. Women’s health encompasses all aspects of health care and research. In this video, experts from various fields—health-care professionals and researchers, charity founders, and Lancet Editors—examine the disparities, frequently exacerbated by intersectionality, that impact women globally.
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Content ArticleThere is a well-established link between social determinants and poor maternal outcomes. National audits such as MBRRACE-UK, the National Maternity and Perinatal Audit (NMPA), and others have highlighted persistent inequalities in access, experience, and outcomes across maternity care in England. These findings underscore the importance of capturing the voices of those most affected by systemic disadvantage. Commissioned by NHS England and delivered by the Health Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) in 2024, this qualitative insight project set out to inform the development of an inclusive Patient-Reported Experience Measure (PREM) for maternity care. It focused on capturing the experiences of groups underrepresented in existing feedback mechanisms – particularly those facing socio-economic, cultural, or health-related disadvantage. The project combined a literature review, targeted outreach, and co-design with maternity charities to ensure engagement was inclusive and meaningful. The approach uncovered fresh insights, guided the prioritisation of participant groups and informed the design of engagement activities. Thematic analysis of participant insights and accompanying recommendations have supported the maternity PREM and contributed to broader efforts to reduce inequalities in maternity care. This case study outlines: The need for this work to deliberately reach those most affected by systemic disadvantage. The multi-stage, inclusive methodology used to capture diverse perspectives across the maternity care pathway. The impact the project had.
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Content ArticleDiabetes UK has launched their new ‘10 Year Vision: For diabetes prevention, care and treatment’, setting out a clear plan for the UK government about how it can improve health outcomes and tackle inequality for people living with diabetes by 2035. The UK government will publish its 10 Year Health Plan in June, which will set out how the health service can make a shift from sickness to preventing ill health. If the government is to succeed with this aim, diabetes must be at the heart of its plans. The ‘10 Year Vision’ gives the government a clear plan for how it can improve health outcomes and tackle inequalities for people living with diabetes, and how this can be achieved by 2035. This vision involves: Stemming the rise in type 2 diabetes – improving our food environment and delivering high-quality support to help people reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes. Ensuring early and accurate diagnosis - which is key to setting people up to manage their diabetes and, in turn, preventing serious complications. Transforming diabetes care and treatment – to help people with diabetes live well. Most diabetes complications can be prevented with simple interventions like annual checks, access to the right treatments and technology, and a focus on reducing health inequalities. Accelerating innovation – Investing in diabetes research and ensuring new treatments and technologies are available to people with diabetes quickly.
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News ArticleWomen, people from minority ethnic backgrounds, and those living in the most deprived areas of England are less likely to receive treatment after a diagnosis of a deadly heart disease, according to one of the largest studies of its kind. Researchers at the University of Leicester analysed data from almost 155,000 people diagnosed with aortic stenosis – a narrowing of the valve between the heart’s main pumping chamber and the main artery – between 2000 and 2022 across England, from a database of anonymised GP records. The study found that patients living in the most deprived areas were 7% less likely to be referred for secondary care after their diagnosis compared with patients in the least deprived areas, and 4% less likely to undergo a procedure to replace their aortic valve. The analysis, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and presented at the British Cardiovascular Society conference in Manchester, also found that women were 11% less likely to be referred to secondary care, such as a hospital specialist, after their diagnosis than men. Women were also 39% less likely to have a procedure to replace their aortic valve. The study also found that black patients were 48% less likely to undergo a procedure to replace their aortic valve than white patients, with south Asian patients being 27% less likely. Both groups were more likely to be referred to secondary care, although the researchers say that this could reflect referrals for other heart issues not related to their aortic stenosis. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 5 June 2025
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Content ArticleThis report from the National Federation of Women’s Institutes looks at the ways in which the UK dentistry crisis disproportionately affects women, based on a survey that obtained over 960 responses. The central theme of the report is that dental health is a feminist issue. This is partly a matter of biology: for example, in pregnant women, hormonal changes can lead to gingivitis – an inflammation of the gums. It is also because women take a disproportionate amount of the caring responsibility for children and ageing parents. The report states that with NHS dental appointments becoming harder to obtain, women are bearing financial, temporal, physical, and mental health burdens for not only themselves but also their loved ones. Pregnant women and children are entitled to free NHS dental healthcare. But survey respondents reported being unable to find a dentist taking NHS patients to treat them. So some women are turning to private dentistry but are then finding that they are required to pay high bills. The report makes the point that the lack of available NHS dental healthcare, and the financial burden of private dental care, forces women to choose between their own health and the well-being of their families, further exacerbating inequalities in access to dental healthcare.
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Content ArticleDespite its prevalence, treatment of hypothyroidism has long divided opinion in the research and clinical fields. In a paper for Nature Reviews Endocrinology, I share my experience as a patient living with hypothyroidism for 16 years, as well as the difficulties I have faced in achieving consistent and effective treatment tailored to my individual needs. Hypothyroid patients will recognise many aspects of their own journey in this personal report. Achieving a prompt, accurate diagnosis and appropriate, effective treatment is difficult, sometimes impossible. NHS guidance is confusing and restrictive. There have been huge advances in the science of endocrinology in recent decades that has not filtered down to those at the coal face, dealing with patients.
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News Article
UK cancer survival rate doubles since 1970s amid ‘golden age’
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The proportion of people surviving cancer in the UK has doubled since the 1970s amid a “golden age” of progress in diagnosis and treatment, a report says. Half of those diagnosed will now survive for 10 years or more, up from 24%, according to the first study of 50 years of data on cancer mortality and cases. The rate of people dying from cancer has fallen by 23% since the 1970s, from 328 in every 100,000 people to 252. But cancer remains the UK’s biggest killer, the report by Cancer Research UK (CRUK) says. Progress has not been equal across all cancers, and women have not reaped as many benefits as men. There have been greater improvements in survival for men since the 1970s but survival remains higher in women. Sustained pressure in the NHS means patients wait too long to get diagnosed and start treatment. In England, only about half of cancers are diagnosed at an early stage, and this proportion has not improved for almost a decade. The CRUK chief executive, Michelle Mitchell, said: “Over the last 50 years, the proportion of the population dying from cancer has fallen by more than a fifth because of life-saving research into new ways to prevent people developing the disease, detect it earlier when they do and develop new cutting-edge treatments. “Yet cancer remains the UK’s biggest killer, causing around one in four deaths in the UK – far more than other disease groups. For people affected by cancer, this means lost time and fewer precious moments with loved ones. “As this report sets out, it is a time of both optimism and realism. We’re in a golden age for cancer research, with advances in digital, genomics, data science and AI reimagining what’s possible and bringing promise for current and future generations. “However, despite the best efforts of NHS staff, patients are waiting too long for diagnosis and treatment, and cancer survival is improving at its slowest rate in the last 50 years. This is not acceptable.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 3 June 2025 -
Content ArticleThe annual Cancer in the UK report summarises key data across the cancer pathway, including prevention, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes. It looks at where progress is being made and what challenges remain in the UK. Evidence in this report shows that improvements can be made across the cancer pathway – preventing cancers, diagnosing patients earlier and ensuring patients have access to the best treatment options – to attain outcomes that are among the best in the world. The report concludes by setting out the priority actions that are vital to addressing challenges faced by cancer services and lays out how data-led insights can strengthen our ability to beat cancer
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News Article
Obese patients denied knee and hip replacements to slash NHS costs
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Obese patients are being denied life-changing hip and knee replacements and left in pain in a bid to slash spiralling NHS costs, The Independent can reveal. One-third of NHS areas in England and multiple health boards in Wales are blocking patient access based on their body mass index (BMI). The move, deemed “unfair” and “discriminatory”, goes against guidance from the National Institute for Care Excellence (NICE), which states BMI shouldn’t be used to restrict patients’ access to joint replacement surgery. Patients are instead being told they must lose weight before they are eligible but waiting lists for NHS weight loss programmes have ballooned, with some people waiting up to three years to be seen while other services have shut, unable to cope with demand. The Royal College of Surgeons of England criticised the policy, saying that denying patients care could cost them their mobility and cause their health to deteriorate, while Tory peer and former health minister James Bethell called on the government to do more to tackle the obesity crisis and end the “misery for millions”. Read full story Source: The Independent, 31 May 2025 -
Content ArticleNHS Race and Health Observatory Review of Neonatal Assessment and Practice in Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic Newborns highlighted the need for educational resources to help healthcare professionals assess babies with dark skin tones, who are at higher risk of developing jaundice and experiencing delayed diagnosis and treatment. This new infographic for health care professionals, “10 Steps to spot Jaundice in Black and Brown babies” was designed by Dr. Helen Gbinigie, Neonatal Consultant at Medway Hospital and Clinical Lead for KM LMNS; and Dr. Oghenetega Edokpolor, ST5 Paediatric Trainee at Medway Hospital, in collaboration with the NHS Race and Health Observatory. It’s a vital tool in pursuing the Observatory’s aims to reduce neonatal ethnic health inequalities.
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Content ArticleThis report from the Partnership for Change explores one of the most persistent challenges patients face: poor care co-ordination. It draws on insight from across the health charity sector to offer a clear and practical vision for improving how care is delivered and experienced in the NHS. The Partnership for Change is a collaboration of ten leading patient groups brought together and funded by Pfizer. The report outlines a set of recommendations to help the NHS, and wider health systems, put patients at the centre of co-ordinated care. The report recommendations are to: Measure patient experience and act on the data. Make communication between healthcare, professionals and patients simpler, quicker, and more efficient. Proactively build a culture of collaboration. Take a holistic approach to care for long-term conditions. Related reading on the hub: How the Patients Association helpline can help you navigate your care Care co-ordination for people with long-term conditions: Patient Safety Learning’s response to HSSIB investigation #NavigatingHealth—Enabling every patient, every time, system-wide The challenges of navigating the healthcare system
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Content ArticleEach year since May 2023 the Sands & Tommy’s Joint Policy Unit have published an annual report setting out the extent of pregnancy and baby deaths across the UK. This year’s report argues that progress made to date falls short of what is needed to stop babies dying every day in the UK, and that unacceptable inequalities in pregnancy and baby loss persist despite continued calls for change. It estimates that at least 2,500 fewer babies – the equivalent of around 100 primary school classrooms - would have died since 2018 if the government had achieved its ambition of halving the 2010 rates of stillbirth, neonatal and maternal deaths in England. The report draws on the latest data from MBRRACE-UK, which shows that the gap continues to grow between neonatal death rates in the most deprived areas and those in the least deprived areas of the UK. It highlights that the stillbirth rate among babies of Asian ethnicity has risen sharply, and Black babies are still twice as likely as White babies to be stillborn. It includes 10 key actions for policymakers Renew commitments to save babies’ lives. Specifically, a stillbirth rate of 2.0 stillbirths, and a neonatal mortality rate of 0.5 neonatal deaths for babies born at 24 weeks’ gestation and over (per 1,000 live births). A preterm birth rate of 6.0%. Count miscarriages in the UK. The number and rate of miscarriages are not reported across the UK or for any individual nation. All UK governments should set up routine data collection on miscarriage. Take coordinated and meaningful action to eliminate inequalities. There are a range of policy areas where specific action is needed, including: understanding whether current efforts to reduce inequalities are working, and a comprehensive review of translation and interpreting services in maternity and neonatal care. Strengthen national leadership to make progress on the safety of maternity and neonatal services. Clarify the workforce needed to deliver safe care. Future development of the workforce must move away from a binary debate focussed on whether we do or don’t have enough staff and focus on the staffing requirements needed to deliver safe care, in line with nationally-agreed standards. Put the resources needed in place to deliver safe care. More investment is needed to improve the safety and quality of services if the government is going to deliver on its commitments to reduce rates of stillbirth and neonatal death and eliminate inequalities. Make informed choice a reality. Everyone should receive personalised care, know what they are entitled to, such as their birth choices, and services need the resources and operational capacity to provide this. Address unwarranted variation in care. Too often babies are dying because of care that is not in line with nationally-agreed standards. We need clarity on how national guidance is applied and clear national standards to improve the consistency of service provision. Ensure lessons are learned when babies die. The NHS is still not properly learning lessons when babies die or listening to the experiences of bereaved families to improve care in the future. There must be more robust oversight of the implementation of actions that are identified by reviews and investigations. Prioritise pregnancy and baby loss in research. This requires a broad range of research topics, the involvement of bereaved parents and communities, and a strong connection with policy and practice.
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Content ArticleThis report describes children’s access to mental health services in England during the 2023-24 financial year, based on new analysis of NHS England data. Demand continues to grow for Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS, commonly known as CAMHS) , with the number of children with active referrals increasing by nearly 10,000 since last year to 958,200. Compared to last year, there have been some areas of progress: fewer children’s referrals are being closed before treatment, and investment in CYPMHS has increased in real terms and when adjusted for inflation. However, figures continue to highlight some concerning trends: Many children were still experiencing long waits to access mental health services, and the number of children with active referrals who were still waiting for treatment to begin at the end of the year has increased by almost 50,000 children from 270,300 in 2022-23 to 320,000 in 2023- 24. Almost half of those referred for being ‘in crisis’ have their referrals closed or were still waiting for their second contact at the end of the year. There has been an uptick in children being referred for suspected and diagnosed neurodevelopmental conditions; these conditions are associated with some of the longest waits. The accessibility of mental health services in England continues to vary widely from one ICB area to another, leading to a postcode lottery in children’s access to suitable support for their mental health conditions.
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News ArticleThe UK is becoming “the sick person of the wealthy world” because of the growing number of people dying from drugs, suicide and violence, research has found. Death rates among under-50s in the UK have got worse in recent years compared with many other rich countries, an international study shows. While mortality from cancer and heart disease has decreased, the number of deaths from injuries, accidents and poisonings has gone up, and got much worse for use of illicit drugs. The trends mean Britain is increasingly out of step with other well-off nations, most of which have had improvements in the numbers of people dying from such causes. The increase in drug-related deaths has been so dramatic that the rate of them occuring in the UK was three times higher in 2019 – among both sexes – than the median of 21 other countries studied. The findings are contained in a report by the Health Foundation thinktank, based on an in-depth study of health and death patterns in the 22 nations by academics at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). “The UK’s health is fraying,” they concluded. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 20 May 2025
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Content ArticleThis briefing from the Health Foundation compares trends in mortality within the UK and with 21 high-income countries, based on new research by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The findings are stark, underlining deep inequalities in health between different parts of the UK and a worrying decline in UK health compared with international peers. Key points: Improvements in UK mortality rates slowed significantly in the 2010s, more than in most of the other countries studied. By 2023, the UK female mortality rate was 14% higher than the median of peer countries and the UK male mortality rate was 9% higher. For both, the gap to the median widened significantly after 2011, and the UK’s ranking relative to peer countries has now worsened. Improvements in mortality rates slowed across all UK nations and regions in the 2010s – but there are significant geographic inequalities. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all have higher mortality rates than England. Scotland is performing particularly poorly – of the countries studied, in 2021 only the US had a worse mortality rate. In 2021, mortality rates were 20% higher in the North East and North West of England than in the South West. People aged 25–49 have seen a particularly pronounced relative worsening of mortality rates. In 2023, UK female mortality rates for this age group were 46% higher than the median of peer countries, while male rates were 31% higher. Of the other countries studied, only Canada and the US experienced a similar worsening of mortality rates among this age group over the 2010s. This worsening of mortality rates is a sign of ill health in the working-age population, acting as a drag on economic growth. Of the main three causes of death for people aged 25–49, mortality rates for cancers and circulatory diseases improved between 2001 and 2019, but rates worsened for deaths from external causes. Deaths from external causes explain between 70% and 80% of the divergence in UK mortality rates compared with the median of peer countries over this period. While in the 2010s alcohol-related mortality rates for people aged 25–49 plateaued or declined and mortality rates for suicide (and undetermined intent) slightly increased, the rate of drug-related deaths rose sharply. In contrast, rates of drug-related deaths continued to decline for peer countries. As a result, the drug-related mortality rate in the UK was more than three times higher in 2019 than the median of peer countries. Geographic inequalities in drug-related deaths are stark among people aged 25–49. In 2019, the drug-related mortality rate in Scotland was around 4 times higher than in England. Within England, the drug-related mortality rate in the North East was 3.5 times higher for men and almost 4 times higher for women than in London. With the UK comparing poorly with many other high-income countries, improvement is both possible and urgently needed. This will require long-term action for economic recovery in areas of long run industrial decline; a strong focus on prevention; investment in public health services and action to address risk factors such as smoking, alcohol and poor diet; and a concerted effort to tackle drug-related deaths. These actions should be brought together in a clear strategy for tackling health inequalities. The UK government’s health mission promised just such an approach, but progress so far has been slow. This needs to change or the UK’s health will fall further behind its international peers.
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Content ArticleStigma and misunderstanding of obesity are preventing people from receiving adequate treatment for the disease, which is increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), a new report from the World Heart Federation warns. The “World Heart Report 2025 – Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease” launched at the World Heart Summit, highlights the myths that hamper efforts to treat obesity. The problem is compounded by systemic healthcare gaps and is contributing to an economic burden worsened by the aggressive commercial practices of companies making cheap, processed food. The World Heart Report emphasises the trends that could send healthcare costs spiralling: As the rate of child obesity continues to increase, children with a high BMI are 40% more likely than their peers to suffer from CVD in midlife. The onset of obesity at younger ages can significantly reduce life expectancy while the psychological impacts of childhood obesity are profound – obesity is now the leading cause of bullying and discrimination in schools. CVD mortality attributable to high body mass index (BMI) is now highest among middle-income countries, with rates up to 67.5 deaths per 100,000 people in North Africa and the Middle East. Across the globe, obesity cases increased in nearly every country between 1990 to 2022 and global deaths from cardiovascular disease linked to high BMI have more than doubled. If current growth trends continue, data projects that almost 2 in 3 adults over 25 years of age could be overweight or obese by 2050. A shift in types of employment towards desk jobs is also associated with the development of obesity and CVD, as are long working hours and frequently working overtime. The report expresses concern that stigma experienced by people living with obesity is preventing them from receiving adequate treatment through guidance, lifestyle support and appropriate medication.
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Content Article
Tackling bias in healthcare (29 April 2025)
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Health inequalities
Bias in the way medical research is carried out means that new medicines for diseases such as cancer – as well as the tools used to diagnose patients with some conditions – are disproportionally tested on people of European heritage. This can lead to those not represented in the data being misdiagnosed as well as some treatments not working as well as they should. From the Ghanaian scientist helping to develop cancer treatments which work better for African people, to the team in England using AI to diagnose dementia in communities where English isn’t widely spoken, in this programme we will meet the solution-seekers trying to make healthcare more equal. -
Content ArticleThis framework sets out 5 principles to reduce patient safety healthcare inequalities across the NHS. It outlines opportunities for implementation that local teams and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) can take up, as well as the work NHS England is taking nationally to support and enable this. These principles align with the aims of NHS England’s Patient safety strategy and Core20PLUS5 approach for adults and for children and young people to address healthcare inequalities. Principle 1 – All staff, patients, service users, families and carers have access to information, translation and interpretation services when needed. National actions: Publish a framework for community language, translation and interpretation. Opportunities for local implementation: Improve every interaction between patients and healthcare staff. Make communication at all levels culturally and linguistically appropriate. Make information clear and accessible. Minimise the risk of digital exclusion. Reduce communication barriers. Principle 2 – All healthcare staff receive undergraduate patient safety training, ongoing training, and accessible resources that improve their awareness and understanding of healthcare inequalities related to patient safety risks. National actions: Co-develop and publish a patient safety healthcare inequalities reduction handbook to provide guidance and ‘top tips’ for use by individual clinicians, organisations, patients and communities. Opportunities for local implementation: Improve training. Develop a repository of accessible resources. Principle 3 – Accurate and complete diversity data are collected for protected characteristics and inclusion health groups on digital platforms. This work includes making disaggregated data available so evaluation can drive improvements in patient safety and healthcare inequalities. National actions: Clarify the requirements for reducing healthcare inequalities related to patient safety at the provider, ICB, regional, and national levels through the delivery of quality functions in the ICSs document on the ICS Quality Hub FutureNHS Collaboration Platform. Develop the LFPSE service to record the protected characteristics of those involved in patient safety events to identify when patient harm is more common in specific groups of patients, and whether there is case selection bias in patient safety incident investigations (PSIIs). Opportunities for local implementation: Use data on health inequalities to improve safe care. Principle 4 – Representatives of diverse communities are involved in the design and delivery of improvements aimed at reducing patient safety healthcare inequalities. This co-production involves drawing on the knowledge and experience of patients, service users, carers, families, communities and staff. National actions: Promote the recruitment of diverse Patient safety partners (PSPs) and their value in co-production in all areas of patient safety improvement work by providing information, guidance, surveys and tools for support. Opportunities for local implementation: Involve patients and diverse communities in developing patient safety improvements. Principle 5 – Improve the understanding of patient safety healthcare inequalities and drive improvement through identifying priority areas for research. National actions: Submit proposed patient safety healthcare inequalities reduction research questions to the next round of NIHR funding opportunities. Opportunities for local implementation: Identify and enable research.
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