GovWire

This guide has been developed for allied health professional (AHP) system leaders working across regions, integrated care systems (ICSs), local authorities and provider organisations. The guide focuses on what AHP leaders need to know, and what actions they can take at a system level to address health inequalities. The guide emphasises using a population health approach and leading change at scale, focusing on the breadth of AHP services rather than individual services or professional groups.

AHP leaders can use the guide as a practical tool to:

• create an environment where addressing health inequalities is routinely incorporated into all aspects of service delivery
• move from a reliance on individual actions and behaviours, to a collective effort

This guide complements the Kings Fund document, My role in tackling health inequalities: a framework for allied health professionals, by building on the leadership and systems aspects of the framework. While the Kings Fund report touches on systems leadership, this guide provides more detail and practical examples of what AHP system leaders can do.

There are 2 sections to this guide:

• part 1: a 4-step approach to addressing health inequalities: this section supports AHP leaders to take a gradual approach to explore health inequalities in their local area and co-produce innovative interventions. It provides a method to systematically understand and respond to the needs of the population
• part 2: change ideas: this section outlines 8 strategic change areas to help leaders reduce health inequalities across the breadth of AHP services. This section has been created following conversations with ICS, provider and Regional Chief AHPs to support AHP system leaders to ensure that consideration of health inequalities is embedded into the work they are already doing