My role in tackling health inequalities: A framework for allied health professionals

Michelle Tennyson, Assistant Director of Allied Health Professions, Personal and Public Involvement and Patient Experience, Public Health Agency.  

Michelle Tennyson
Michelle Tennyson, Assistant Director of Allied Health Professions, Personal and Public Involvement and Patient Experience, Public Health Agency.

 

Today marks the launch of the Allied Health Professions Health Inequality Framework by The King’s Fund along with Public Health England, NHS England and NHS Health Improvement.

“Health inequalities” are unfair and avoidable differences in the health and wellbeing of individuals and groups which exist because of the unequal conditions in which we are born, grow, live, work and age. This includes what are known as the ‘social determinants of health’ such as income, wealth, education, welfare, housing and access to green spaces.

The devastating toll of the global Covid19 pandemic has further exacerbated these differences, with more severe impacts on these communities making it more important than ever to tackle these challenges.

The Allied Health Professions (AHPs) are 13 professions in Northern Ireland who work with people to help them protect and improve their health and well-being. This new framework aims to provide information and support to help all AHPs tackle health inequalities, and raise awareness about the role they can play. To mark the launch of this framework, we are today sharing an example of an AHP service tackling health inequalities in Northern Ireland.

The Regional Sure Start Speech Language Communication (SLC) Programme

The Sure Start programme supports parents with children aged under four-years-old living in the most disadvantaged areas in Northern Ireland. There are 38 Sure Start projects across the province through a community-based partnership funded by the Department of Education, and Speech and Language Therapists in Sure Start work with families in the heart of their communities. Sure Start brings together health, family support and early education services with the common goals of:

  • Improved language skills
  • Early identification of developmental delay
  • Improved access to services
  • Enhanced parenting skills
  • Effectively integrated services 

The Sure Start vision is to ‘make Speech, Language and Communication everyone’s business’ and support those who are at greater risk of being impacted by health inequalities. This is especially important given what is now known about how important the first 1001 days of an infant’s life are to their future development as children, young people, and adults. Research has also shown the consequences of acting later and failing to support children during the early years, for example:

  • In areas of social deprivation, upwards of 50% of children can start school with communication difficulties
  • Vocabulary difficulties at age 5 are significantly associated with poor literacy
  • As many as 60% of young offenders have Speech Language and Communication needs ( SLCN)

In 2018/19, 36,000 families with 41,900 children aged 0-4 were registered with Sure Start projects.  Sure Start Speech and Language Therapists work in partnership with Early Years staff and parents/carers in the communities where families live, work and play to ensure that all children in Sure Start have access to the level of support with speech, language and communication that they need. In 2018/19 27% of children showed improvement in their speech, language and communication development, and there was a 22% reduction in children with significantly delayed communication skills.

More information about the Sure Start Speech Language Communication Programme can be found here.

The programme has been highlighted as an example of best practice in early years by the Education Training Inspectorate – read the report here: Second Sure Start Evaluation Report | Education Training Inspectorate (etini.gov.uk)

The approach of Sure Start Speech and Language Therapists of forging strong connections and trusting relationships in communities in order to better understand and meet the children and families’ needs is what has led to the success of this programme in helping to tackle some of the impact of health inequalities in Northern Ireland.

If you would like to hear more please contact Shima Choudhury, Regional Sure Start Speech, Language and Communication Coordinator - shima.choudhury@hscni.net.

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