As the NHS amplifies its focus on tackling health inequalities, novel collaborations between previously disparate sectors emerge as a crucial strategy for driving innovation, scaling effective interventions, and accelerating progress in this area.
To this end, the 'Innovating to Address Health Inequalities Summit' was co-created by IQVIA, Integrated Care Systems (ICSs), and leaders in the Life Sciences sector. Held on 24th May 2023, the Summit convened over 130 leaders not only from these sectors but also from patient, local government, and voluntary sectors, all unified with a singular mission to combat health and care inequalities impacting numerous UK citizens
The Summit enabled its participants to share best practice, problem-solve and leave having created not only new partnerships but leave with innovations to take back to their communities and mobilise through joint working on health inequalities.
The keynote speakers converged into a powerful narrative of commitment, innovation, and collaboration in our pursuit of health equity. From Dr Bola Owolabi's (Director, Health Inequalities, NHSE) compelling reminder that we can't "boil the ocean" but can do so by tackling manageable parts within our individual spheres of influence. Professor Seeromanie Harding's (King’s College London) gave a social epidemiological perspective on the importance of community interventions.
Dr Sheuli Porkess (Faculty of Pharmaceutical Medicine) & Suki Balendra (Paddington Life Sciences) shared recommendations from their insightful report, advocating for the incorporation of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) plans into the clinical trial ethics approval process. They emphasized enhancing collaboration between clinical research and commercial management, fostering a culture of diversity in clinical trials, which can provide richer data, improve patient care, and ensure the UK's leadership in life sciences research
David James’ (Prostate Cancer Research) demonstrated a new interactive platform ‘infopool: the patient resource’ aimed to empower men living with prostate cancer, by providing comprehensive resources for understanding diagnostic methods, evaluating treatment options, managing side effects, and navigating through clinical trials - thus bridging the knowledge gap and mitigating health inequalities.
Brian Duggan (Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry) underscored the urgency of embracing a nationwide approach to address health inequalities by promoting genomic research diversity and encouraging equitable adoption of innovative treatments approved by regulatory bodies, thereby enhancing health outcomes for all.
Insightful case studies, originating from varied collaborations were shared that reflected the power of joint-working and collaboration at place from North London ICB, Mid Essex ICS, and between ICS and Life Science companies-IQVIA, Gilead, AstraZeneca, and Bristol Myers Squibb. Each case illuminated the transformative power of data-driven solutions, creative innovation, and robust partnerships in dismantling health disparities.
These strategies, addressing challenges as diverse as building trust around vaccination in multiform communities, optimising lung cancer care pathways, proactive GP management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and liaising with addiction services for HepC testing, effectively underscored the incredible potential of targeted, collaborative action.
IQVIA hosted three concurrent workshops that drilled down into specific health inequality challenges that were shared by leaders from Integrated Care Systems. Diverse stakeholders engaged in rich discussions, collectively sharing actionable insights that rarely surface in isolated dialogues.
The summit crystallised the imperative of collaboration and innovation to achieve equitable healthcare. One delegate insightfully captured the momentum, stating, "New contacts, ideas for next steps, reassurance that I am going in the right direction." Another delegate, energised by the event, shared: "There are some really agile innovations which we can deploy easily. I've got lots of energy for this now - thank you!"
These sentiments highlight the catalytic effect of the summit in igniting new ideas. The overarching vision, as articulated by Dr. Bola Owolabi, is to attain “Exceptional quality healthcare for all through equitable access, excellent experience, and optimal outcomes,” a goal that will remain central as collaborations fostered during the summit take shape and move towards execution.
The summit served as a reaffirmation of IQVIA's commitment to addressing health inequalities:
To learn more about IQVIA’s work in addressing health inequalities, check out the following resources:
Get in touch with James.Buckley@iqvia.com for more information