The RCP has appointed Dr Ash Birtles, an ST3 in Respiratory Medicine at Leeds, to lead a project to develop practical advice and guidance to help doctors address health inequality in their practice.
The RCP developed the role after its advisory group on health inequality found that foundation doctors, core medical trainees, higher specialist trainees and physician associates wanted to be more involved in population health work.
These groups of RCP members said that, as well as more time and leadership from others, they needed some additional education and training. After further discussion with our members we found that, while students and trainees are taught about the social determinants of health, they want to better understand health inequality and how they can address it.
Over two years, the project will engage with student and foundation doctors, trainee doctors, new consultants and physician associates. Our aim is that, in the years after the project, they will report being better able to address health inequality in their daily practice.
In 2021, Ash will begin to gather information from RCP members about what would be useful, comparing it to what is already available. Then in the first half of 2022, we will consider what we have learnt and how best to respond.
In the second year of the project, Ash will communicate what we have learnt and what we intend to do. We will then work with our members and partners to develop the relevant resources for publication in 2023.
The RCP is grateful to its principal partner, Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd, for providing funding for the role. Funds from the RCP COVID-19 Appeal will also be used to deliver the project.
Dr Ash Birtles, clinical fellow in health inequality, said: "I'm so glad to see the RCP and Novartis supporting the reduction of health inequalities for marginalised and minority groups and feel privileged to have been offered the role of Clinical Fellow in Health Inequality. Over the past few years there has been greater awareness of the impact of inequalities on access to healthcare and outcomes. I hope for this work to focus on what we can do as individual clinicians and within our local areas to improve the health of all our patients."
Professor Carol Brayne, chair of the RCP advisory group on health inequality, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Ash to the work of the RCP and its advisory group on health inequality. We know she will make a huge contribution to raising awareness of inequalities and encouraging evidence-based action to reduce them. Ash’s focus on training will be key to our future work to support the improvement of health across society through our specific roles as clinicians.”
Andrew Goddard, RCP president, said: “Health inequality is one of the biggest issues facing physicians at the moment and is an important part of the RCP’s policy work. I’m really excited about working with Ash to ensure that we are best placed to raise the profile of health inequality and come up with solutions that physicians can feel really engaged with.”
Fiona Bride, Market Access Director, Novartis Pharmaceuticals UK, said: “At Novartis we are committed to working in partnership with the healthcare system to accelerate the pace and scale of action to address the UK's underlying health inequalities. We are delighted to be supporting this initiative by the RCP which aims to equip physicians with the knowledge, tools and insights to meaningfully engage with their local populations and service users in tackling health inequalities, and improving health outcomes.”
The clinical fellowship initiative is sponsored by Novartis Pharmaceutical UK.