Humber and North Yorkshire launch health equity programme

Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership has launched its first-ever Health Equity Fellowship Programme, which aims to give applicants enhanced skills that can be used to improve population health and reduce inequalities.

The new fellowship is open to anyone who is working across health, social care, local authority and the voluntary and community sectors across the region, regardless of their current grade, role or profession. There are 50 spaces available on the inaugural programme.

By equipping the applicants with new skills, they will be able to reduce the inequalities within their organisation and local community.

Amanda Bloor, deputy chief executive for NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB and Population Health lead, said: “I am incredibly proud that we are launching this Health Equity Fellowship Programme. Addressing health inequalities is a crucial priority for us in Humber and North Yorkshire, and this is a key opportunity to engage with our wider workforce to support us in this ambition.

“The programme, which has been modelled on a well-recognised programme in West Yorkshire, allows colleagues across our Integrated Care System to be involved in tackling health inequalities they are passionate about, and we all have our role to play in closing the healthy life expectancy gap between our communities.”

The Health Equity Fellowship aims to identify and respond to health inequity and inequalities. It will create a health equity fellow peer network and share learning and best practice across Humber and North Yorkshire. In addition, it hopes to develop inequalities champions in the region and build health equity.

The Fellowship programme has been modelled on the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership’s Health Equity Fellowship. Cathy Chadwick-Rayner, networks and outreach coordinator at Breaking Down Barriers is a former Fellow of the West Yorkshire programme.

She said: “The fellowship was an excellent opportunity to learn about public health and the various teams working to help people live longer, healthier, happier lives.

“The connection with other Fellows was also fantastic as it revealed how many different roles are involved in improving health equity. It was also lovely to meet new people who inspired and supported me along the way.”

Interested people are able to sign up now and have until Friday 12 January 2024 to apply. The programme will run from April 2024 through to March 2025. Fellows will be expected to dedicated on day a week to attend training and to work on their own project.

Also in the region, a partnership between the West Yorkshire Digital Primary Care Collaborative and Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber has resulted in the West Yorkshire Digital Ambassador Programme. The programme, which will run virtually in 2024, has been designed to strengthen digital innovation and transformation and improve the digital skills of the primary care workforce.