Healthcare Inequalities Programme

AHSNs and ICSs spread evidence-based innovations to narrow healthcare inequalities across England. NHS England’s Innovation for Healthcare Inequalities Programme (InHIP) aims to address local healthcare inequalities experienced by deprived and other under-served populations.  ​

The InHIP programme is a unique collaboration between the Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC), NHS England’s National Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Programme and the Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) and delivered in partnership with integrated care systems (ICSs).

Project teams (comprising of clinical and non-clinical expertise) from across the country are working together with their local communities to identify, address and minimise healthcare inequalities through projects to improve access to the latest health technologies and medicines.​

These technologies and medicines are focused on five clinical areas of priority which closely align with the national Core20PLUS5 approach to reducing healthcare inequalities which includes maternity, mental health, respiratory, cancer diagnosis and cardiovascular disease.

To support the scoping phase of the InHIP programme, KSS AHSN (now trading as Health Innovation KSS) were commissioned by the AAC and AHSN Network teams for the following workstreams, with Unity Insights expertise and activity contributing throughout to:

Nationally:

• Disseminate information and upskill AHSN Network colleagues on literature and data sets that support tackling healthcare inequalities, to inform the InHIP programme and support AHSNs in being able to measure the impact of their programmes.
• Forecast the potential impact and monetary benefits of innovations with NICE guidance, in the regions in which they are being implemented.

Kent, Surrey, Sussex (local):

• Support the scoping phase with KSS AHSN (now trading as Health Innovation KSS) by identifying data sets, and core metrics, and supporting the development of local logic models.

An example of an innovation selected for the forecasting exercise was Inclisiran. Inclisiran is a lipid-lowering drug used as a secondary preventative for patients suffering from high cholesterol levels who have already been prescribed statins. It works to boost the liver’s ability to remove cholesterol from the blood.

As part of the forecasting tool, Unity Insights had to estimate the eligible population for the innovations, in addition to the number of people likely to benefit, and the potential savings realised within the health and social care system in minority groups.

Unity Insights supported KSS AHSN (now trading as Health Innovation KSS) with their local InHIP project delivery by:

• Reviewing and making recommendations for scoping questions and funding proposal forms
• Delivering a logic model and measurement framework, including a logic model workshop hosted by South West AHSN
• Identifying suitable public and bespoke data sources for evaluation
• Providing additional ad-hoc expertise in data analytical to evidence the impact of KSS’ proposed projects