Action taking place across Bradford District and Craven to reduce inequalities within local communities is to be discussed at the upcoming public Health and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC).
The meeting is due to take place this Wednesday 17 December from 4pm at the City Hall in Bradford. Representatives from our local NHS Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership will present a report on work taking place across the district to reduce inequalities via the Reducing Inequalities Alliance.
This report will outline:
- Current population health and inequalities data for Bradford District and Craven
- Some of the key programmes of work that are addressing heath inequalities locally
- Priorities and considerations for continuing system wide work to reduce health inequalities
Although more data is needed, it was revealed last week by the Office for National Statistics that average life expectancy is rising in Bradford with the average life expectancy growing from 76.9 in 2019-2021 to 77 in 2022-2024. The same goes for women with the average life expectancy rising from 81.4 in 2019-2021 to 81.7 in 2022 to 2024.
Colleagues from across the health and care partnership will present detailed information on health inequalities to the council committee, highlighting some of the activity happening across Bradford District and Craven to improve the quality and length of life of those who live here.
The local Health and Wellbeing Board, the NHS, Bradford Council and voluntary and community sector (VCS) groups are working together to close the life expectancy gap and ensure that people in the district live a happy and healthy life. This is being done by work to create opportunities for everyone to access quality care, stable jobs, fair pay, good housing and education.
As part of this effort, Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership created the Reducing Inequalities Alliance. The alliance aims to support and coordinate collective action to reduce inequalities in Bradford District and Craven. It is made up of allies across partner organisations.
Projects among many include a number of Core20PLUS5 initiatives which take a hyper-local approach to reducing inequalities such as community health checks at accessible locations, and Maternity Circles for pregnant women and families in early parenthood. There is also a focus on supporting people to remain in employment and to reduce economic inactivity due to health reasons via the Healthy Working Life programme, and also projects such as Pathways to employment to help communities gain the skills they need to get into employment.
Dr Sohail Abbas, Bradford GP and Director of Population Health and Inequalities at Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership, said: “Over recent years our health and care partners have worked together more closely than ever through the Reducing Inequalities Alliance, with a strong focus on prevention, earlier diagnosis, improving access to care and tackling the wider factors that shape people’s health.
“We have worked across our community partnerships to develop local solutions to increase access to local VCS and primary care services. This work has focussed on some of the biggest causes of health inequalities such as respiratory disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease and mental illness. We are expanding support for people with long-term conditions by strengthening neighbourhood teams. Part of this work is to improve culturally appropriate services and investing in community-led approaches that reach people who have traditionally been underserved. These are the foundations that help create healthier years of life.
“We also have a digital inclusion programme with the aim of ensuring that no citizen in Bradford District will be excluded from access to digital devices, affordable connectivity and the digital skills to improve their livelihoods. We recognise how important good work and jobs are to health so have invested in local services that support those with long term health problems to remain in employment or return to the job market.
“However, while we are seeing improvements in the inequalities across the district, we know that the picture remains complex. Some communities continue to face poorer health outcomes and shorter lives, and reducing these inequalities remains one of our biggest priorities.
“On Wednesday we will be discussing how we can reduce health inequalities and increase life expectancy with the Bradford District Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee. We hope this discussion and scrutiny will support our NHS strategy, planning and work with the Local Authority and partners to improve health in future years.”
You can view more examples of work to reduce inequalities across the district on the Bradford District and Craven Health and Care Partnership website.
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