University College London’s Institute of Health Equity has published a report titled Working for Health Equity: The Role of Health Professionals. The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) contributed to the report, and commenting on its publication Sir Richard Thompson, president of the RCP, said:
We welcome this important report showing how everyone working in the health sector has a role to play in reducing the gap in health between the richest and the poorest in our society. The RCP’s Future Hospital Commission, established to review all aspects of in-patient care, is considering ways to optimise access to care for all those in society, including the most disadvantaged.
The RCP is committed to working with our 28,000 members and fellows to take action on health equity. We aim to do this by taking a holistic approach to managing the health of patients, which considers the impact of their social, economic and environmental circumstances. We also encourage all doctors to use their powerful voice on a personal, community, national and global level, to promote action on health equity.