Thursday 29 January 2015

What works to address health inequalities?

Continuing Sam's look at health inequality...
In "NHS Health Scotland: Health Inequalities Policy Review" 2013, is a table setting  out  what would work to address health inequalities.
Firstly,dealing with the theories of fundamental causes of health inequalities the interventions proposed are policies that redistribute power, money and resources. Social equity and social justice needs to be prioritised. Examples of effective actions  proposed are: introducing a minimum wage for healthy living; ensuring the welfare system provides enough income for healthy living and reduces stigma for recipients through universal provision in proportion to need.
There should be more progressive individual and corporate taxation and active labour market policies to create good jobs.
There should be the creation of a vibrant democracy, greater and more equitable participation in elections and in decision-making, including on action on health inequalities.
Second,there are changes proposed to the social, economic and physical environment. The interventions suggested are: the use of legislation, regulation, standards, fiscal policy and strucural changes to ensure equity in the environment. Good jobs should be avilable for all and there should be equitable provision of high-quality and accessible education and public services.
The examples of effective actions proposed are wide ranging. They include addressing housing quality standards: neighbourhood standards: air and water standards; food and alcohol standards and restrictions; transport and pedestrians; pricing of harmful commodities, healthy products and essential and prevention services; environmental safety changes; policies for employment; policies for provision of high-quality early childhood education and adult learning and on training and learning; ensuring that public services are provided in proportion to need as part of a universal system.
Third, looking at individuals, the interventions suggested are that there should be equitable experience of socio-economic and wider environmental exposures and equitable experience of public services.
High-risk individuals should be targeted for support; there should be intensive, tailored individual support: there should be a focus on young children and the early years.
Effective actions include; training for the public sector workforce to ensure it is sensitive to all social and cultural groups, to build on the personal assets of service users; linking of services for vulnerable or high-risk individuals, e.g. income maximisation welfare advice linked to healthcare for low-income families.
There should be provision of specialist outreach and targeted services for particularly high-risk individuals such as looked after children and the homeless.
Services should be provided in locations and ways that are likely to reduce inequalities in access.
Addressing inequalities of income, wealth and power will require that Scotland has control of economic and welfare policies. And as McCartney says:
"If health inequalities in Scotland are to be reduced, this will require leadership at all levels to reduce the stark inequalities in the socio-economic circumstances prevalent today."
So what are our politicians doing?

14 comments:

  1. Well one thing is for sure the snp aint gonna follow any f
    those policys.....smacks to much of socialism and thats
    just not what the snp want

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And the Labour party are socialists, your having a laugh. I see "Red" Ed is promising home rule, in a 100 days, Labour have been promising that for a hundred years and more, we are still waiting and our patience is wearing out.

      Delete
    2. Jimminy

      100 days 100 years wots the dif ?

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    3. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    4. About 36,425 days, including leap days and a shed load of broken promises.

      Delete
    5. Of course they never had Jim Murphy before... so anything is possible.

      I mean. He'll just march down to London and tell Ed what is happening in Scotland, and if Ed doesn't like it he can always do the other thing!

      Delete
  2. Umm ! now if you would and I am sure you do
    need an example of new Labour socialism

    Take for instance Alan Milburn and Lord Hutton of Furness
    thoughtful and unbiased intervention (bit like a knife in the back )
    on the nhs last week and how Ed Milibands plans for the nhs
    were a mistake and that more private providers were a jolly good thing.

    and here is the reason Mr milburn and Lord Hutton
    believe that would be a jolly good thing..for them that is.

    Company owned by Alan Milburn had £663,000 profit increase in 2013-14
    AM Strategy, owned by former Labour health secretary, generated income primarily from private healthcare consultancy roles

    http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jan/29/alan-milburn-labour-health-secretary-am-strategy-private-healthcare


    One can only add this makes me puke and reveals how
    New Labour was taken over by self seeking greedy slimy
    tossers whose only thought was to grasp as much cash
    as they could get hold of.

    pass the sick bag oops to late all down me front
    still get Taz to lick it of.

    Its storys like these about the ex high and mighty
    leaders of New Labour which makes
    sit and thing and sit and think.

    And i am not even go to mention Mandelsons
    £400,000 loan he gave himself from his own company
    to avoid paying tax...which the nhs badly needs
    whilst criticising Ed Miliband for not being transparent
    on Labours economic plans

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep. It's sad what they've come to.

      Delete
  3. In recompense for my last post I must indulge in this
    for the rest of the night

    https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSmfk6ebKQ2asAs4HnO4MQYuO1WxA74Ge28Ol7La6URVxlKd7kUgg

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ouch....

      Save it for Milburn and all these socialist liars who took the ermine.

      Get Taz to bite you instead!

      Delete
  4. Sam is unable to comment here at the moment (I know... Blogger, huh?).

    He sent me an email asking me to mention on his behalf (and I quote from the mail)..

    I want to draw attention to the sources used in my posts - Glasgow Centre of Population Health where Gerry McCartney is based and the 10th Kilbrandon Lecture given by Sir Harry Burns - "Healthier Lives: Better Futures".

    On your blogroll is Bateman's Broadcasting where Sir Harry is interviewed. Well worth listening to and if the sound level is low, go to the 10th Kilbrandon Lecture.

    I also want to identify again the drivers of health inequalities: inequalities in power, wealth and income. The remedy is to redistribute power, wealth and income and the need for more control over welfare and economic policies.

    I want to refer to the need for leaders at all levels identified by McCartney in order to shift opinion to an acceptance of the policies needed. Everybody can do a bit. Tweet for Burns. Can bloggers get researchers like McCartney to do an interview or post a piece?

    Coincidentally, I wrote to Sir Harry just over a week ago to suggest the use of social media to widen the message. Can Munguin get a campaign off the ground?

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  5. I'll happily print something if you write it Sam!

    ReplyDelete