On 21 and 22 June we held our two-day Health Inequalities Academy ‘one year on’ event. Bringing together partners to explore progress and share learning, the event highlighted the work taking place to improve the lives of the most disadvantaged people living in West Yorkshire.
Over 500 people joined to hear from a fantastic range of local, regional and national speakers. The aim of the academy is to support everyone working across the partnership, whatever their role, to see what part we can all play in creating a more equitable system. By acting as a forum to raise awareness and bringing people together, the academy provides support and showcases interventions which are being implemented locally and can be adapted across the whole of West Yorkshire and beyond.
That included hearing about training being delivered through the academy to improve system capability, the vital part played by the voluntary community and social enterprise sector, the role of digital in reducing health inequalities and schemes to support young carers and improve migrant health. Special mention to the Bradford Reducing Inequalities in Communities Team for sharing their flagship population health management approach to closing stark health gaps in the area. A story of passion, creativity, courage and collaboration with around 11,500 people benefiting from projects.
The event looked at how the Health Inequality Academy has impacted on capability, capacity, and intelligence to address health inequalities across our places and system. We were taken on a journey as we reflected on where we’ve been and where we’re going ending with a question looking at the "I" of Inequality: what difference can I make in reducing inequalities?
Working together has been fundamental to what we have been able to achieve and provides a platform from which we can build, accelerate progress and improve people’s health for better futures. Although much has been progressed and there are examples of excellent practice, particularly around small level projects and short term funding, we need to look at what we can do together to fundamentally change how we design and deliver services.
In this new era of health and care, we are all finding our way. It’s not a few of us doing this, it’s everyone working together. We have a mammoth task ahead, but we’re in a good position and there’s strength in partnership.