Case studies

The vision for inclusion health in the East Riding is to reduce health inequalities through ensuring equitable access to services and targeted engagement to marginalised communities. This means working proactively with groups at higher risk of poor health outcomes to raise awareness of healthcare and facilitate access to it, so that everyone has an equal opportunity to achieve positive health outcomes.

Wiltshire includes 65 kilometres of the Kennet and Avon Canal and is home to a vibrant and diverse ‘boater’ community. Wiltshire Council’s public health team has been working with them to find out more about this unique way of life.

Newham Council, along with its partners, is adopting a complex systems approach to building food security among young people aged 11 to 19. Nutrition plays a crucial role during adolescence, the second-fastest growth phase after the first two years of life, and is vital for long-term adult health. Food insecurity is a major contributor to poor health outcomes, and Newham’s goal is to shift how food insecurity interventions are framed, designed and delivered for this age group.

In the London boroughs of Camden, Islington and Haringey, a long-established sexual health promotion outreach team provides a trusted gateway linking sex workers with other services.

Severe multiple disadvantage (SMD) refers to people who face multiple challenges including mental ill-health, substance use, contact with the criminal justice system, domestic abuse and homelessness. Nottinghamshire County Council’s public health division is taking a ‘Making Every Adult Matter’ approach in its work with people experiencing SMD.

In Worcestershire, a small team of service-user volunteers provide support and resources to people affected by drug and alcohol misuse who do not engage with conventional treatment services. This is just one element of the work underway to reduce the health inequalities for this vulnerable group of people.

Shropshire’s focus centred on reframing food insecurity, helping people to maximise their incomes, and bringing communities and organisations together to co-create solutions. These key levers were identified from learning about the issue locally and developing a Theory of Change informed by this understanding.

Cheshire West and Chester Council has been working with the NHS and other partners to increase uptake of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, particularly in the most vulnerable communities.

Led by Luton Borough Council’s public health team and Bedfordshire Police, a wide variety of organisations are working together to improve the support for women involved in on-street sexual exploitation in Luton. They have developed a 10-year strategy and action plan which aims to reduce the harm and impact from on-street sexual exploitation and support women into routes out of it.

City of York’s public health team recognised that the children in asylum-seeking families had often missed out on routine vaccinations. When other parts of Yorkshire experienced measles outbreaks, the team worked with local partners to prevent an outbreak in York’s migrant population.