HEA case study
Gloucestershire colleagues adopted HEA and tested it on the Stop Smoking Service, provided by HLS Glos.
“The DHSC Tobacco Control Plan 2017-2022 aims to eliminate variation in smoking rates. One of the steps towards this is eliminating health inequalities through targeting those populations where smoking rates remain high. We wanted to identify and better understand any areas of inequity in accessing our Stop Smoking Service, or moving successfully through the service.”
“The DHSC Tobacco Control Plan 2017-2022 aims to eliminate variation in smoking rates. One of the steps towards this is eliminating health inequalities through targeting those populations where smoking rates remain high. We wanted to identify and better understand any areas of inequity in accessing our Stop Smoking Service, or moving successfully through the service.”
“In Gloucestershire, the Healthy Lifestyles Service (HLS) provides Stop Smoking service offer which this HEA covers. HLS and the commissioner of HLS were the key stakeholders involved.”
“In Gloucestershire, the Healthy Lifestyles Service (HLS) provides Stop Smoking service offer which this HEA covers. HLS and the commissioner of HLS were the key stakeholders involved.”
“We identified potential gaps or barriers in access to the Healthy Lifestyles smoking cessation service for specific populations and their outcomes from the service. We made recommendations on how access and outcomes to the service can be improved to address potential inequities.”
“We identified potential gaps or barriers in access to the Healthy Lifestyles smoking cessation service for specific populations and their outcomes from the service. We made recommendations on how access and outcomes to the service can be improved to address potential inequities.”
Advantages:
"By analysing the data of the people moving through the service, it is possible to make clear, evidence-based recommendations about potential areas of the population to target to improve equitable access. The data driven recommendations worked well to stimulate discussion about known areas of the population who are harder to engage with smoking cessation, and any additional steps that could be taken to encourage engagement with these groups."
Disadvantages:
"This tool requires confidence with cleaning and analysing large datasets. It can take a long time to complete the audit cycle. The tool only uses quantitative data to understand which cohorts of the population are not accessing the HLS service in representative numbers. It does not provide qualitative information from these groups on why they do not access support.”
Advantages:
"By analysing the data of the people moving through the service, it is possible to make clear, evidence-based recommendations about potential areas of the population to target to improve equitable access. The data driven recommendations worked well to stimulate discussion about known areas of the population who are harder to engage with smoking cessation, and any additional steps that could be taken to encourage engagement with these groups."
Disadvantages:
"This tool requires confidence with cleaning and analysing large datasets. It can take a long time to complete the audit cycle. The tool only uses quantitative data to understand which cohorts of the population are not accessing the HLS service in representative numbers. It does not provide qualitative information from these groups on why they do not access support.”
“That whilst the service is performing well there is a need to review access and need more regularly. Undertaking the HEA provided some dedicated time to really understand where more capacity / resource is needed and to discuss the challenges and opportunities that this might bring. It was a valuable process to go through to ensure that the service has health inequalities at its core. This is not a quick process and there are particular skills required to analyse and interpret the data.”
“That whilst the service is performing well there is a need to review access and need more regularly. Undertaking the HEA provided some dedicated time to really understand where more capacity / resource is needed and to discuss the challenges and opportunities that this might bring. It was a valuable process to go through to ensure that the service has health inequalities at its core. This is not a quick process and there are particular skills required to analyse and interpret the data.”
“A meeting was held with the service where the data were discussed and a range of recommendations were agreed for each cohort; age, gender, ethnicity, mental health. For example, how we can engage better with these populations, the organisations that support them and the primary care providers that will have significant numbers of patients with these characteristics on their patient lists.”
“A meeting was held with the service where the data were discussed and a range of recommendations were agreed for each cohort; age, gender, ethnicity, mental health. For example, how we can engage better with these populations, the organisations that support them and the primary care providers that will have significant numbers of patients with these characteristics on their patient lists.”
“It is difficult to estimate the actual amount of time that is required as this HEA was being undertaken alongside other work requirements. This resulted in the initial stage taking at least six months. The process is ongoing, as in order to complete the audit cycle we need to allow time for any changes in engagement to occur before repeating the audit process and analysing if there has been improvement in inequity.”
“It is difficult to estimate the actual amount of time that is required as this HEA was being undertaken alongside other work requirements. This resulted in the initial stage taking at least six months. The process is ongoing, as in order to complete the audit cycle we need to allow time for any changes in engagement to occur before repeating the audit process and analysing if there has been improvement in inequity.”
“It is important to clearly define the scope of the HEA, and the areas of inequity that are of most value to the service to analyse.
The person undertaking the HEA needs to have confident data skills, ideally a data analyst should be involved who can help to access local demographic/background data that might not be openly available and who can also help to present complex data in an easily digestible way.”
For more information, please contact Tracy.Marshall@gloucestershire.gov.uk, Senior Commissioning Manager, Gloucestershire County Council.
“It is important to clearly define the scope of the HEA, and the areas of inequity that are of most value to the service to analyse.
The person undertaking the HEA needs to have confident data skills, ideally a data analyst should be involved who can help to access local demographic/background data that might not be openly available and who can also help to present complex data in an easily digestible way.”
For more information, please contact Tracy.Marshall@gloucestershire.gov.uk, Senior Commissioning Manager, Gloucestershire County Council.
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