We are working with three projects across the East Midlands to tackle inequalities in how communities are accessing Cardio-Vascular Disease (CVD) services locally.

A new video being shared today, gives more details of the projects and of the support that Health Innovation East Midlands (HIEM) can offer to project teams. Using national funding from NHS England’s Accelerated Access Collaborative, HIEM is supporting the projects to improve access, experience and patient outcomes, while addressing health inequality.

The programmes are:

• Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland Integrated Care System - Improve attendance at Cardiovascular Outpatient appointments and optimise CVD care, prescribing for South Asian and under-represented populations.
• Lincolnshire Integrated Care System - Identify and increase treatment rates / improve outcomes for communities at increased risk of CVD: 20% most deprived, rural and elderly populations.
• Northamptonshire Integrated Care System - Identify undetected Atrial Fibrillation & Hypertension through opportunistic Community Health Testing for the Black & Minority Ethnicity Population.

Health Innovation East Midlands, Head of Innovation Programme Delivery, Tracey Jackman, said: “We continue to work closely with our East Midlands’ Integrated Care Boards to focus on health inequalities and to offer our support to engage with and co-produce services with underrepresented populations.

“This video shows some of the great work underway and engagement approaches taking place within the East Midlands to improve access to innovation and help reduce health inequalities.

“The richness of the conversations taking place with local communities has helped identify ways in which we can improve services and make them more accessible.

“The projects will be completed by March 2024 and we are looking forward to sharing the learning to help ensure our communities can access the care they need.”

The Innovation for Healthcare Inequalities Programme (InHIP) is being delivered across all

the Health Innovation Networks (HINs) and aims to help Integrated Care Systems address local healthcare inequalities experienced by deprived and other under-served populations.

Figure 2 – Summary of InHIP projects and Priority area