Healthwatch Summit exposes health inequalities and calls for change
The delegates, comprising of members of the public and healthcare professionals, heard from keynote speakers and participated in focused workshops and a Q&A session with a panel of experts.
During the Summit it was recognised that there are "stark disparities" in health outcomes between different areas of the county.
CEO, Jess Slater, described the event held in Peterborough as a "call to action" to ensure "people, and their voices, are put at the heart of any decisions, changes or developments in health services".
The event opened with the audience hearing about the lived experience of Liz Owen, who explained the barriers she faces to accessing healthcare as a wheelchair user.
Her story was followed by an address from Jan Thomas, CEO of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Integrated Care Board, who called for “the dial to be shifted around improving access for patients” and that collective responsibility would be vital in achieving this.
Dr John Ford, Director of the Health Equity Evidence Centre based at Queen Mary University of London, then gave a presentation in which he explained that creating a positive vision of what equitable healthcare looks like is key to progress. This, he said, involves empowering communities to take an active role in shaping healthcare services and reallocating NHS resources based on need.
Throughout the day, delegates took part in workshops focusing on health inequalities impacting older people and rural communities, children and young people, ethnic minority communities, and people with sensory impairments and disabilities.
Across the workshops, the need for health services to be joined-up and consider people's individual needs was consistently highlighted, as well as "significant challenges" facing those living in more deprived areas of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
The Summit concluded with an address from Dr. Nik Johnson, Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, who reflected on his career as a paediatrician and current challenges facing the health sector. He urged for collaboration among local politicians, healthcare providers, and communities to create lasting change in tackling health inequalities.
Stewart Francis, Chair of Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, who hosted the event, said: “It’s important that all of us ensure that those who are experiencing health inequalities are not left behind as we go through another period of change in healthcare policy direction.”
Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough plans to produce a report on its findings later this month and will be holding similar events for the public to join.
