Launch of a new Clarity Health Inequalities toolkit in partnership with NHS Confed, the Care Quality Commission and Leeds Beckett University
Addressing health inequalities is one of the four core functions of Integrated Care Boards and an area where many know they need to strengthen their approach and build their confidence. With this in mind, the NHS Confederation, Leeds Beckett University (LBU), Clarity and the Care Quality Commission came together in 2023 to work on a research project to understand how Integrated Care Systems (ICS) had made decisions about, and used, hypothecated health inequalities funding in the previous year.
85% of integrated care systems volunteered to take part in the project that will support healthcare leaders to adopt best practice and start to turn the tide on health inequalities.
A key element of the project has been looking at good practice so that systems can learn from each other about how to make best use of the funds.
The LBU research specifically focused on how behavioural factors influenced the targeting of funding and how health leaders were able to leverage the investment to optimise the resulting value. The team interviewed health inequalities leads in half of Integrated Care Boards (ICB) as well as other senior system leaders to answer these questions.
In addition, the Clarity team interviewed health inequalities leads in the systems not working with LBU on the practical tools and resources that they found most useful in developing their health inequalities strategies and plan.
The outcomes of this work can be found here:
By gaining greater insight into impactful actions, ICS leaders can learn how best to invest resources and reduce health inequalities in their populations. In identifying ‘what works’ more rapidly, the more confident we can be that future resources can be channelled into areas where they will make the greatest difference.
Clarity has a breadth of experience in helping improve health equity as part of our Quality & Performance Improvement services to make positive changes for the future. If you would like to learn how we can support your health improvement goals, please get in contact with Karen Smith, Health Inequalities lead at Clarity. You can also find out more about our Quality and Performance Improvement services by reading some of our case studies.
