Health inequalities: the wider picture

Who experiences health inequalities? 

Health inequalities can be experienced by people grouped by a range of different factors including:

• socioeconomic status and deprivation

• sharing certain protected characteristics

• belonging to vulnerable or excluded groups of society

• geography.

These factors often overlap, meaning people can fall into combinations of these categories. This can compound the severity of health inequalities experienced.

What are the effects of health inequalities?

Health inequalities can be seen and measured through differences in:

• prevalence of conditions and mortality

• behavioural risks to health such as smoking

• the wider determinants of health such as housing and employment

• access to care

• the quality and experience of healthcare services.

The impact of health inequalities was starkly exposed and exacerbated by COVID-19. This is because the pandemic showed how inequalities increase the risk of becoming ill among some groups in society.

Core20PLUS5: a national approach to tackling health inequalities

Core20PLUS5 is a national NHS England approach to inform action to reduce healthcare inequalities at both national and system level. The approach defines a target population – the ‘Core20PLUS’ – and identifies ‘5’ focus clinical areas requiring accelerated improvement.

The 5 clinical areas and the related NICE guidance are:

• chronic respiratory disease

• early cancer diagnosis

• hypertension case-finding and optimal management and lipid optimal management

• maternity

• severe mental illness (SMI).

Find out more on the NHS England website.

The 5 clinical areas for children and the related NICE guidance are:

• asthma

• diabetes

• epilepsy

• oral health

• mental health.

Find out more on the NHS England website.

Further information from our partners about health inequalities