Accelerating the pace and scale of action on health inequalities and population health
The NHS Confederation and Novartis UK have engaged a range of leaders from across integrated care systems (ICSs) in England, with a focus on accelerating the pace and scale of action on health inequalities and population health.
Working with system leaders to understand what efforts are underway to address health inequalities, and how are these being structured, the following five areas were highlighted as priority action areas:
- Strategic focus on healthcare inequalities
System leaders recognise that the pace and scale of action on health inequalities and population health needs to be accelerated. Systems must have a strategic focus on tackling inequalities if they are to achieve desired benefits with local communities.
- Engage communities and enhance trust
System leaders must work to engage communities to build trust in public services and to achieve positive change in partnership. Moving beyond consultation to achieve genuine co-production in active and ongoing relationships is key to delivering on health inequalities
- System approach to data integration
Using data to support PHM methods can reduce inequalities but requires a systems approach, enabling health and care professionals to collaboratively identify population need and join up the right person with the right care
- Proportionate investment
A systems approach will enable the NHS to help improve the conditions in which we are born, grow, live, work and age. This requires genuine cross-sector collaboration in the interests of citizens, with transformation opportunities in the investment of resources by systems
- Assets and place-based partnerships
Innovative system leaders see the value of collaborating to redistribute of power and resources in the interest of channelling social value. The ability of places to work effectively with community assets will be a key test for health and care systems.
Hashum Mahmood, senior policy adviser - population health at the NHS Confederation said:
“The opportunity to improve population health outcomes is a driving force behind ICSs. These five priority areas can support local leaders to strengthen the collective voice in relation to tackling health inequalities and ensuring population health is at the center of system working.
"We know that COVID-19 has highlighted longstanding health inequalities in our country. As healthcare systems continue to respond to the impact of the pandemic and restore services, the pace and scale of action on health inequalities must be strengthened.”
A recent webinar hosted by NHS Confederation and supported by Novartis UK is available to view: Using population health management for system transformation and equitable resource allocation.
This project is part of a collaborative working agreement between the NHS Confederation and Novartis UK.
