Even where we do have robust research and data on health inequality, it is not always readily available or easily comparable. The datasets are not always consistent, timely or granular enough to enable clinicians, patients, and managers to fully understand what is happening in their geographical area or clinical speciality. There is an urgent need for an accessible, user-focused, dashboard on ethnic health inequality.
The NHS Race and Health Observatory is working with various stakeholders and partners to develop a race inequality dashboard. The dashboard will be interactive, updated regularly and automated. It will be developed with clinicians, academics, and patients to make sure that we include the indicators that are really needed. We will draw learning and insights from other sectors to ensure that the dashboard is able to help users to identify areas with the biggest inequalities as well as highlighting good practice.
We firmly believe that data should be shared wherever it can make a difference. Our vision is that beyond our own race inequality dashboard, we will also support other organisations across the health and care sector to embed ethnicity information in their own dashboards and analytics. As dashboard are becoming more widely used in health and social care, race equality should be an essential lens through which we measure our services, as opposed to an afterthought.
The NHS Race and Health Observatory has brought together an advisory group of experts in this area to devise and steer robust research and targeted intervention in the sector. Members of this group include:
- Pollyanna Jones, Head of Delivery and Collaboration, NHS England and NHS Improvement (Co-chair)
- Dr Harpreet Sood, GP and Non-executive directors, Health Education England (Co-chair)
- Dr David Ashby, Director of Improvement Products & Services, NHS England and NHS Improvement
- Dr Nav Chana, National PCH Clinical Director, National Association of Primary Care (NAPC).
- Dr Shera Chok, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, NHS Digital (Co-founder and Chair, The Shuri Network)
- Yvonne Mhlanga, Head of Mental Health Commissioning, Berkshire West CCG
- Eddie Olla, Regional Director for Digital Transformation, NHS England – Midlands
- Dr Gurprit Singh Pannu, Chief Clinical Information Officer, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust,
- David Rose, Director Donor Experience, NHS Blood and Transplant
- Shella Sandoval, Nursing Information Officer, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
- Sarah Scobie, Deputy Director of Research, Nuffield Trust