What are health inequalities?
Not everyone has the same chance to live a healthy, happy life.
- If you grow up in a family where your mum or dad smokes, you’re more likely to smoke.
- If you can’t get your landlord to fix the damp and mould, you’re more likely to have lung problems.
- If you can’t get fresh veg in the local shop, and you work two jobs so you don’t have time to cook, you’re more likely to have excess weight.
- If your skin colour means people assume things about you, you’re more likely to struggle to access the support you’re entitled to.
- If your area doesn’t have a great reputation, you’re more likely to miss out on good teachers in your local school.
When the basic building blocks of health are missing, lives get cut short and more people develop illnesses that impact their daily lives.
The differences this causes between individuals and communities are called health inequalities.
How do they impact on health care?
The different life opportunities we each have also impact on how we experience healthcare.
Missing some of the basic building blocks for life means you can end up;
- Not knowing where to go for help or how to get support.
- Finding it hard to travel to hospital or GP appointments.
- Struggling to understand the information you’re given.
- Not being able to afford the data to access information on your phone.
- Feeling uncomfortable or unheard when visiting a healthcare professional.
- Finding treatment doesn’t work as well because of other health conditions.
We are trying to do more to spot where you might need us to do things slightly differently.
We’re also eager to hear more about how different communities experience our services, and to make changes where there are problems.
What are we doing?
Here are some things we’re doing:
- Looking at how personal characteristics (sex, ethnicity, religion, where you live) impact patient access to services, and the outcomes they get.
- Connecting our services up with other local organisations and community groups to offer a wider range of support, closer to home.
- Looking at how we talk to you, and trying to make everything we do as accessible as possible.
- Continuing to improve how we listen to community voices, and take action on the priorities that matter most.
- Thinking about how Morecambe Bay hospitals can help local communities succeed. We’re a big employer and purchaser, we have big buildings that people need to travel to, and we have a voice we can use on behalf of local people.
- We’re supporting local initiatives, like Barrow Rising, to get the best deal for our local health system and communities.
How can I learn more and get involved with what you’re doing?
- You can read our health inequalities action plan
- You can contact our patient experience team to volunteer, or contribute your ideas to our work.
- You can give us feedback if you think we’re getting something wrong or not understanding your needs properly.