Improving Health Inequality Data in the NCAPOP
This report is the result of a project to identify and explore the barriers to health inequality data being routinely reported within the National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcome Programme (NCAPOP), which is commissioned by HQIP on behalf of NHS England and the Welsh Government. This is a matter of critical importance since health inequalities are known to cause unjust and preventable differences in health outcomes. Research has shown that the implementation of a wide-ranging and diverse strategy to tackle these disparities can yield far-reaching outcomes on an individual and population health level. As such, reliable and accurate data is essential to further understand inequalities in health and adapt health services to address the needs of underserved communities.
Health Inequality Data in The National Clinical Audit and Patient Outcomes Programme (NCAPOP) found that there are significant variations in the reporting, analysis, and use of health inequality data among different programs. Despite this variation, survey responses identified the following recurring themes:
- Data set issues; incomplete information, poor and incorrect categorisation
- Bespoke data sets revealed issues with time pressure, patient engagement and consent
- Population data not available for comparison
- Costs
- Problems related to ‘small numbers’
- Issues related to social deprivation calculation, and
- Reporting demands.
The report also contains a number of recommendations for those planning and delivering care at national, regional and local levels, as well as for HQIP.
Read the full report: You can read the report by clicking on the link below.
Stay up-to-date: For notifications of future reports from HQIP, sign up to our mailing list.
