John Dawson’s Post

 https://lnkd.in/eqZk-d_C Recently published our blueprint for a sustainable, equitable health system for Wales, proposing a whole society approach to transforming health and care in Wales. As Wales spends some 49% of its budget on health and is faced with the same challenges faced by all High Income countries (demography, technology, obesity, workforce shortages etc) continuing as we are is a route to failure.

#WAIPH #VIP2024 #PublicHealth The West African Institute of Public Health is committed to promoting Universal Health Coverage (UHC) as a fundamental human right. Our mission is to ensure that everyone, everywhere, can access the quality health services they need without suffering financial hardship. Universal Health Coverage is a vital goal encompassing a wide range of health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care. It means that all individuals and communities receive the health services they need without experiencing financial hardship. Why UHC Matters: Healthcare for All: UHC ensures that everyone receives the health services they need, without suffering financial hardship. It's about equity and fairness in access to healthcare. Improved Health Outcomes: When people have access to quality health services, they live longer and healthier lives. UHC can lead to significant improvements in health outcomes across populations. Economic Benefits: Healthy populations are more productive and better able to contribute to their economies. Investing in health coverage is an investment in a country's financial future. Social Stability: Access to healthcare promotes social cohesion and stability. It reduces inequalities and promotes social justice. Join the Movement: The theme for this year, "Leave No One Behind," underscores our commitment to inclusivity in health coverage. We believe that healthcare is a basic human right and that no one should be denied access to essential health services due to financial constraints. We invite you to join us in advocating for UHC. Spread the word, participate in community discussions, and support policies that promote equitable health access. Together, we can make Universal Health Coverage a reality for everyone. Together, we can achieve Universal Health Coverage and build a healthier, more equitable future for all.

The Commonwealth Fund just released its "Mirror, Mirror 2024" report that rates 10 countries' health system performance for 1) access to care, 2) care process, 3) administrative efficiency, 4) equity, and 5) health outcomes and the United States did not score well. We were last in access to care, equity and health outcomes! We are making strides in all of these areas but this report serves as a reminder that even though we've come very far, we still have a LONG way to go. Keep innovating. Keep challenging the status quo. Through policy change, vocal advocacy, and action, we can turn the US healthcare system from a laggard in these 5 areas to a leader! #healthequity #healthaccess #healthoutcomes Full report here: https://lnkd.in/e3r5i__B

What we like: NHS Confederation Report on Health inequalities funding ICBs are given £200m per year to spend on health inequalities - but what happens to this money? NHS Confederation and Leeds Beckett University spoke to ICBs to find out. Funding was ringfences in half of ICBs surveyed, split between health inequalities and baseline in 35% and incorporated into the wider budget in 15%. Funding was used for - Pilot projects - Building capacity and capability - Devolving funding to place and neighbourhood Leadership, Governance and Relationships were key to successfully using the funding. These is variation and vagueness in how local systems use the health inequalities funding. From 2023/24 this funding is included in the baseline making it harder to ringfence. Inequalities funding should be used to address the structural factors that drive unequal outcomes, such as workforce and workload. Short-term, one off projects are likely to have limited long-term impact. Well worth a read https://lnkd.in/e7mE9ha4 Anne-Marie Bagnall Mark Gamsu Ruth Lowe Hashum Mahmood #healthinequalities

Today Reform Think Tank have published the first of several papers in our 'Reimagining Health' workstream, which seeks to promote radical reform of the health and care system. As covered in The Times today, our paper proposes devolving the vast majority of NHS budgets to regional mayors, and as a result, abolishing NHS England. The English health system is an international outlier in its centralisation, tightly managed from the centre despite rhetoric that stresses devolution. All the while, different demographic profiles, types of morbidity and health behaviours lead to highly divergent requirements for health services across the country. We therefore propose pooling and devolving the NHS budget to democratically elected regional governments, also allowing them to spend the budget on 'non-NHS' areas - such as housing, air quality or green spaces - where these improve overall population health. And thanks to my predecessor Sebastian Rees who contributed so much to this report! Read the summary in The Times here: https://lnkd.in/gs_aDHrP And the report here: https://lnkd.in/ewia-whz

🔎 What are Social Determinants of Health (SDOH)? 🔎 Social Determinants of Health are the conditions where we live, learn, work, and play—and they have a significant impact on our health. Factors like access to quality healthcare, education, safe housing, and employment opportunities are all crucial in shaping health outcomes. At Ascendant Healthcare Partners, we work with communities to address these key determinants and help promote health equity across Michigan and beyond. Learn more on our blog: https://lnkd.in/ghkhgjZK 💡 By tackling these challenges, we can improve public health and create more equitable healthcare systems. #SDOH #HealthEquity #PublicHealth #CommunityHealth #AscendantHealthcarePartners #SocialDeterminants #HealthcareConsulting

ACAP and its 82 Safety Net Health Plan members stay committed to supporting health equity in every aspect of health care.     The second iteration of ACAP’s Pathway to Improve Health Equity reaffirms this commitment and focuses on three key pillars:     👂 Listening and learning: Involve participants from all levels of the organization, plan ongoing strategic communications, and integrate health equity into current structures and processes     📏 Measurement and analysis: Improve data collection standards for health equity and work towards reducing health disparities    📜 Policy implementation: Advocate for policies proven to support better health and address the root causes of disparities, like continuous eligibility and SDOH supports     Read more: https://bit.ly/3YapqxR     #HealthEquity 

🌐🏥 Strengthening primary health care is paramount for achieving universal health coverage (UHC), a global challenge faced by health systems worldwide. With 4.5 billion people lacking full coverage of essential health services globally, a robust primary health care system is essential. It encompasses health promotion, disease prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care, serving as the cornerstone of a sustainable and resilient health system. Through a primary health care approach, 90% of essential interventions for UHC can be delivered. However, even in wealthy European countries, millions struggle with out-of-pocket payments for primary health care, resulting in financial hardship for households. Despite the importance of investing in primary health care, recent budget cuts in the European Union's health program raise concerns about achieving UHC goals. Amidst budget constraints, unlocking the full potential of primary health care to achieve UHC relies on implementing effective and cost-efficient strategies. Building a resilient primary health care workforce, nurturing a people-centered health system, and ensuring digital transformation are pivotal. Let's work together to prioritize primary health care and pave the way towards universal health coverage for all! #PrimaryHealthCare #UHC #HealthForAll #WorldHealthDay2024 #MyHealthMyRight #Healthcare #DigitalTransformation

Beyond healthcare itself, effective health policy is essential for achieving good population health outcomes. It serves as the foundation for addressing health challenges and can significantly impact a population's overall well-being. 📍Key Considerations in Health Policy Development When formulating health policies, it's crucial to consider: ✴️Societal Values ✴️Stakeholder Interests ✴️Political Dynamics ✴️Resource Availability 📍Policy: A Guiding Force for Improved Healthcare Policy, defined as a deliberate system of guidelines, guides decision-making and facilitates rational outcomes. Without clear policies, healthcare systems risk malpractices and questionable practices. 📍WAIPH and Policy Shaping for Health Development (PSHD) WAIPH West African Institute of Public Health defines PSHD as the process of preparing and refining health policy drafts before negotiation and agreement. 📍A big thank you to Dr. Ohanyido for breaking down this critical topic in such a clear and digestible way! Engaging Youths in Policy Making 📍This session highlighted the importance of youth involvement in the policy-making process, even at the grassroots level. 📍As a young person, how do you feel you can contribute to shaping health policy in your country? And what strategies can we use to ensure diverse voices are heard during the policy-making process? 📍What are your thoughts? Let's discuss in the comment section. @Waaph_Advocate @TheWaaph Dr Francis O. #YPPH24 #HLLP24 #UHC #WAIPH #healthliteracy #healthadvocates #Policydevelopment #HealthPolicy

Is the UK’s health system worse than much poorer countries? The worsening state of the NHS is high on the list of voter grievances ahead of the UK’s snap election. Some of them say much poorer countries have better health care. Is that true? We’re so thankful for the numerous good practice examples, the research, evidence provided by UK based institutions and colleagues on health and social care improvement (including useful policy documents by the government) over the last 30 years. But apparently this body of knowledge, expertise and resources doesn’t seem to translate in better and sustainable service for people. This applies to many countries. Again, healthcare improvement and effective transformation is not (only) in the academic excellence, evidence, technology or policy papers …it’s in the process of making transformation real 😊 #healthpolicy #transformation #healthresearch https://lnkd.in/eM_y_8gR