Explore the NHS Confederations five-step model to address health inequalities
The NHS Confederation has developed a collaborative approach designed to improve access, experience and outcomes for targeted populations within health systems.
This model addresses health inequalities by guiding organisations through five steps to identify challenges, develop solutions and implement changes aligned with key health frameworks and strategic priorities. By fostering community ownership alongside clinical and commissioning input, the five-step model ensures that tackling health inequalities is a shared responsibility.
The model is designed to create lasting change through processes, skills and outcome measures. It ensures transparency and accountability while establishing data governance and SMART evaluation metrics to effectively measure impact. Each stakeholder's commitment is crucial, as understanding how outcomes align with organisational priorities enhances collaboration.
How we can support
The NHS Confederation provides programme management support to help health systems implement the five-step model for addressing health inequalities. We focus on building capacity and skills within these systems to create a lasting impact on access and outcomes for vulnerable populations. Our support includes aligning with governance processes for effective oversight, scheduling meetings and documenting decisions.
We also offer teams the opportunity to step back and review their processes away from daily pressures. Additionally, we work with partners to develop business cases for repurposing resources and measuring return on investment.
If you are interested in partnering with the NHS Confederation, please email us at partnershipsandequality@nhsconfed.org to learn more.
Implementing the five-step model
The five-step model to tackle health inequalities begins by gathering insights from various data sources to ensure support from the community and clinicians. Then, analysis tools identify and prioritise inequalities, followed by defining target areas for focus based on these insights. Local communities and stakeholders are engaged to co-design effective interventions. Finally, key actions and metrics are set up to measure progress.
