Plan to tackle health inequalities in Wakefield District with NHS funding approved

An investment plan for addressing health inequalities across Wakefield District with £1.04m of recurrent funding has been approved.

It was recently given the green light at a meeting of the Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership Committee.

The money will be split between several projects – all of which will benefit people at greatest risk of experiencing health inequalities in the district.

Just less than half (£500,000) will go to a ‘building healthy and sustainable communities’ model which aims to develop better resourced, self-supporting places that can prevent crises through early intervention.

Meanwhile £160,000 will go towards a regional project (West Yorkshire Finding Independence) delivering support to those with multiple needs who are systematically disengaged or disconnected with services.

Another £140,000 has been pledged for a Roving Health Inclusion Team that will carry out focused and targeted work with specific groups at more risk of experiencing health inequalities.

Bids were invited for the remainder of the money and funding has been awarded to 11 projects.
They include services providing support to victims of domestic abuse, those on the SMI (Severe Mental Illness) register and Gypsy and Traveller groups.

Jo Webster, Wakefield District Health & Care Partnership Accountable Officer, said: “Tackling health inequalities is at the heart of what our health and care system is here to do so it is great that we have agreed funding that will help tackle the unfair and avoidable differences in health between different groups of people.

“This plan prioritises community development whilst also providing tangible support to some of the people in our population who need it most, and we are looking forward to seeing the impact it can make.”

The funding has come from NHS England and its Core20PLUS5 approach to inform action to reduce healthcare inequalities at national and system level.

The programme aims to support the ‘core’ most deprived 20 per cent of the population as identified by the national Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD), plus population groups identified at local level and has five clinical areas of focus.

Councillor Maureen Cummings, Cabinet Member for Communities, Poverty and Health, said: “Reducing health inequalities in our communities means giving everyone the same opportunities to lead a healthy life, no matter where they live or who they are. It is a top priority for the Council and our Health and Wellbeing Board so we are glad to see progress being made with more resources available thanks to this new funding.”