TO BE PUBLISHED December 2024
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This conference will discuss next steps for tackling health inequalities in England.
It will bring together stakeholders and policymakers to discuss policy and funding priorities, following the Budget announcing a £22bn increase in total health and social care spending, and as the Government launches a consultation as part of the development of a 10-year plan for the NHS informed by the September 2024 Independent Investigation of the National Health Service in England by Lord Darzi.
Following the announcement of vision working groups set up to inform the development of a 10-Year Health Plan for the NHS, including a group looking at principles for the design and delivery of care which improves health equity and addresses disparities in access, patient experience and outcomes, it will be an opportunity to discuss ways for this to be embedded into care pathways, commissioning, and the move towards a digital NHS and care delivery closer to home.
Delegates will examine policy implications of issues highlighted by the report, including increased mortality rates and cuts to public health allocations in areas of deprivation, evidence that people in poverty tend to access services later, and acute challenges faced by those most at risk, such as homeless people. We expect discussion on new approaches for tackling the impact of inequalities in areas including death in childbirth and neonatal mortality, rates of obesity in children, and cardiovascular disease.
Those attending will assess what will be required to achieve the Government’s aim to tackle social determinants of ill health and halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions in England. This comes as the Government announces the introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which places restrictions on vaping and extends the indoor smoking ban to certain outdoor settings, aiming to protect children and the most vulnerable. Further areas for discussion include practical measures to reduce both physical and mental health inequalities, including priorities for the Mental Health Bill, which aims to give patients greater choice, autonomy, rights and support, as well as priorities for tackling obesity following recommendations by the HoL Food, Diet and Obesity Committee to make healthy food more affordable and accessible.
The agenda looks at opportunities for innovation and use of data to support understanding of local health inequalities, and priorities for action to reduce healthcare inequalities at a national and system level.
Further sessions examine implementation of NHS England’s Core20PLUS5 approach to reducing healthcare inequalities and the future for supporting key target groups and progress in clinical areas requiring accelerated improvement. Delegates will assess ways forward following the pause of the Major Conditions Strategy, and next steps for service improvement in maternity, severe mental illness and chronic respiratory disease, as well as improving early cancer and hypertension diagnosis.
Priorities for improving reporting and accountability in Integrated Care Systems will also be discussed, as well as best practice in collaborative approaches and what can be learned from the Shaping Places for Healthier Lives programme, which aims to help councils work with partners in their local area to improve health and address health inequalities, alongside partnerships between the NHS and industry.
We are pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with: Dr Leonora Weil, Deputy Director, Health Equity and Inclusion Health, UKHSA; Hashum Mahmood, Senior Policy Advisor, Population Health, NHS Confederation; Ann Raymond, Economist, The Health Foundation; Dr Annie Williamson, Research Fellow, IPPR; Rachael McKeown, Policy Advisor, Health Inequalities, NHS Providers; and Dr Rebecca Barker, Clinical Lead, Personalised Care, Nottingham & Nottinghamshire ICS.
Overall, areas for discussion include:
- policy priorities:
- assessing next steps for the new Government in tackling inequalities, including funding, collaboration across government departments, legislation and the 10 year plan for the NHS
- findings of Lord Darzi’s Independent Investigation of the National Health Service in England
- factors which drive the emergence of health inequalities from a young age - implication of legislation to restrict smoking and advertising of food high in salt, fat and sugar
- implementation:
- exploring how latest findings on regional mortality and patterns of illness by deprivation could inform national and local policy
- reducing disparities in a post-COVID landscape - future role of the Care Quality Commission
- identifying areas of deprivation:
- assessing progress of the Core20PLUS5 approach to inform action on health inequalities on both a national and system level - looking at issues faced by minority groups
- Integrated Care Systems:
- assessing the role of integrated care systems in understanding the needs of the local population - allocating funding and resources accordingly
- accountability and research:
- ways forward for improving accountability - improving guidance and training - measuring performance - the role of accurate data
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those due to attend include parliamentary pass-holders from the House of Commons and officials from DHSC; MHRA; OLS; UKHSA; NAO; ICO; DBT; HMPPS; HoC Library; Home Office; DoH, ROI; the Welsh Government; and The Scottish Government.
