Following 12 months of collaborative, community-driven work from Health Innovation Network teams across the country to tackle health inequalities, the Health Innovation Network has published the Innovation for Healthcare Inequalities Programme (InHIP) impact and learning report.
NHS England’s InHIP programme is a collaboration between the Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC), NHS England’s National Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Programme and the Health Innovation Network, delivered in partnership with integrated care systems (ICSs).
Over 12 months, the project teams developed and implemented innovative approaches to improve access for underserved populations, generating knowledge and key insights on what works best to address inequality in healthcare. InHIP, nationally has reached over 34,000 individuals, demonstrating the power of targeting interventions, reducing healthcare inequalities at scale. Over 1,200 project sites were able to deliver a new pathway and / or innovation to patients. Almost 4,000 patients had broader health needs identified that resulted in them being referred on to additional services beyond the original core project focus.
InHIP’s approach led to significant improvements in healthcare access, with case studies showing how local expertise and innovation enhanced patient outcomes. Key achievements include:
- Boosting cancer screening uptake in underserved communities
- Delivering cardiovascular health checks in community hubs
- Collaborating with local organisations to overcome barriers to care
In NW London we worked with the ICB to focus efforts on improving treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (AF) in deprived areas. This national initiative also aligned with Mission 1, optimising care for CVD.
The Impact and learning report shares the rich learnings, insights and recommendations that have been gathered during the first wave of InHIP, including case studies showcasing the local achievements and what’s possible when communities and health systems unite.
Explore the full report for impacts and learnings on tackling healthcare inequalities
