Health inequalities are unlikely to be fixed overnight because of “their complexity”, a BLMK integrated care board (ICB) meeting was warned.
A detailed review of health inequalities by Luton community champion Pastor Lloyd Denny was presented to the ICB’s governing body.
It identified four key themes of access, communications, representation and cultural competency, ICB chief of system assurance and corporate services Maria Wogan explained.
“Everyone’s positive response to this gives us a platform to build on together. We don’t want to duplicate the work going on already, but share good practice and address the gaps which exist.
“We expect to go live in February. There’ll be a central shared transformation team and staff resource will be allocated from that to coordinate our response to the Denny recommendations.
“There are some priority areas of work we want to pursue from the review feedback, such as considering how we improve translation services.
“We’re exploring the opportunity to create a digital page for residents, around ‘what matters to me’, so we know what’s important to them and we can adjust our response accordingly.
“The review has highlighted the experience for residents and for staff is poor. We can look at how resources are best used to obtain much better value.”
Dr Rima Makarem, who chairs the ICB, and its chief executive officer Felicity Cox wrote to all partners in the integrated care system seeking three commitments, according to a report to the ICB.
“These were:
- to consider the Denny recommendations from their organisation’s perspective, to identify any gaps and to explore opportunities for reform;
- to agree in principle to participating in a co-designed system-wide improvement programme;
- and to commit to an annual update on their continued quality of progress made against the Denny review conclusions.
“The response to this letter has shown the unanimous commitment within the BLMK health and care system for addressing inequalities in a way that is consistent with the Denny review findings,” said the report.
Participant member for Healthwatch within Bedfordshire Maxine Taffetani “urged caution around expecting quick actions and remedies”, warning: “It’s important to measure our actions and outcomes towards delivery.
“Health inequalities have been around for ages and were made worse by Covid. That won’t be fixed overnight. They’re complex.
“This work is an opportunity to really touch on people’s experiences around cultural competency and communications.
“Much of it is about the measures we choose to bench mark, as well as the data and the long-term health. We’ll really create change if we continue to commit and focus together as partners.”
Luton Borough Council director of public health Sally Cartwright said: “This is a helpful way forward and a collective recognition that it’s everyone’s business.”
Bedford Borough Council chief executive Laura Church suggested: “It’s important this does comes back in June. I welcome the board level champion, although it’s still all of our responsibility.”
Ms Makarem replied: “Absolutely. It’s not something which can be fixed by one organisation.” An update will be provided to the board in June.
by Euan Duncan
Local Democracy Reporter
