Health inequalities mean some people are less healthy than others. This is not fair does not have to happen. These differences can happen because of where people live, how much money they have, or their background. In Herefordshire and Worcestershire, we want to stop these unfair health differences. We believe everyone should be able to be healthy, no matter who they are or where they live.

Why this matters

Some people find it easier to get help from health services. They may:

  • Understand how the health system works,
  • Have confidence in managing their own health, or
  • Face fewer barriers like problems with transport, language, or money.

Other people find it harder to get care. This can lead to:

  • Waiting longer for treatment,
  • Getting sicker, and
  • More pressure on health services later.

If we don’t act, these differences will get bigger.

Our approach

We want to make sure health care is fair and works well for everyone. We are working to make services easier to use, mostly for people who:

  • Don’t normally ask for help,
  • Face unfair treatment, or
  • Live in poorer areas.

We follow NHS England’s CORE20PLUS5 plan. This helps us focus on:

  • The 20% of people living in the poorest areas,
  • Other groups who often have worse health. (For example people with learning disabilities, ethnic minorities, and carers), and
  • Five important health problems where we can make a difference.

How we are making progress

We work with many local partners, such as:

  • Public Health teams,
  • Local councils,
  • Community and voluntary groups,
  • People who know what it’s like to face these problems.

We listen to people and work with them to make services better.

During COVID-19, this way of working helped more people get vaccinated. It showed that working together makes a real difference.

What we are doing now

Our plan includes:

  • Reaching out to people and groups who are often left out,
  • Working with local people to make services easier to use,
  • Helping people earlier to stop health problems,
  • Making sure everyone gets good care—without judgement.

Everyone has a role to play
Health and care teams must work together to make care fair for all. We need clear leaders so no one is missed.
We are here to make sure no one is left behind.

Health Inequalities – Information Statement

This statement explains how NHS England and local NHS teams use data to better understand health inequalities. It is part of a legal duty under the NHS Act 2006.

It describes what powers NHS organisations have to collect, look at, and share health data—and how NHS England thinks these powers should be used to help reduce unfair health differences.

We worked with the Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit to do this analysis.

The full report: Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICB Annual Report – Health Inequalities Index