We provided an extensive range of delivery support for over a dozen projects in the NHS Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Programme in 2022/23, and continue to provide this support.
Objective
Reducing health inequalities and delivering high quality care for all is a key priority for NHS England. Despite improvements in healthcare over the years, many people still experience avoidable, unfair and systematic differences in health across the population. These include how long people live, the health conditions they experience and the care that is available to them.
In 2022, the Health Inequalities Improvement Team (HIIT) at NHSE wanted to strengthen and accelerate progress of the National Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Programme. They commissioned our support, building on our work on the Core20Plus Connectors Programme.
The programme’s aim is to deliver exceptional quality healthcare for all; ensuring equitable access, excellent experience and optimal outcomes. We were brought in to provide the skills and capabilities to further support the delivery of 15 key projects, each at different stages of scoping and mobilisation.
What we did
Working with the deputy directors of health inequalities at NHS England across multiple subject areas, we provided agile resource management and a robust governance framework for the portfolio and led on the rapid mobilisation and pipeline management of individual projects.
The central management approach to the portfolio added intrinsic value as we had clear sight of all the projects. The benefits for the customer included a freeing up of capacity within the national team and the expertise of subject matter specialists we pulled into each project as required.
In addition, we provided management, expertise, and administration support for each individual project within the portfolio. This included:
- Writing and shaping of public policy
- Organising and running public engagement workshops with people with lived experience, such as sex workers, asylum seekers and other inclusion health groups
- Conducting literature and economic reviews to generate evidence needed to inform the work
- Development of case studies, policy framework and reports for publication by NHS England
- Creation of learning modules and content, and the development of online community of practices on NHS Futures
- Procurement and contract management of third-party partners
Activity
Health improvement and inequalities
Communications and engagement
At-scale programmes
Procurement
Outcome
- National policy frameworks for Digital Inclusion and Inclusion Health
- The development of a suite of national case studies of best practice across the health inequalities agenda
- Comprehensive national engagement with systems and people with lived experience.
