Health on the margins – Commissioning to tackle health inequalities in Gypsy and Traveller communities

We are pleased to announce that in conjunction with LeedsGate we are holding a conference on 26th February 2015 in central Birmingham.

The conference, Health on the margins – commissioning to tackle health inequalities in Gypsy and Traveller communities, will share learning from the Inclusion Health project to map and influence commissioning structures in the new health architecture.

English Gypsy and Irish Traveller people are among those experiencing the most significant inequality in healthcare access and outcomes in the UK, including low life expectancy, high co-morbidity, poor mental health, poor infant and maternal outcomes.

Health inequalities are estimated to cost the UK economy £5.5 billion every year according to The Institute of Health Equity at University College London.  In seeking to address this, the Health and Social Care Act (2012) put in place legal duties on Clinical Commissioning Groups to reduce health inequality.

This conference will focus on commissioning outcomes for Gypsy and Traveller people.  We will explore ways that improved health and wellbeing outcomes, and reduction of costs associated with health inequality, can be secured via integrated and culturally sensitive commissioning and service provision based in effective local relationships.

Speakers include:

• Dr Jessica Allen, Deputy Director, Institute of Health Equity, UCL
• Olivia Butterworth, Head of Patient and Public Voice, NHS England
• Ann Marie Connolly, Director of Health Equity and Place, Public Health England

We will examine commissioning and implementation support identified and developed during the project to include:-

• cost benefit of reducing health inequality
• best practice guides and toolkits
• turning up the volume of local public and patient voices
• innovative people centred solutions
• building relationships and improving local evidence

We hope to see you there!