Primary Care Health Inequalities Short-Life Working Group recommendations: progress report 2023

Foreword from Primary Care Health Inequalities Development Group Chair

The Primary Care Health Inequalities Development Group (PCHIDG) has been running for just over a year now, and the need for the work is greater than ever. It has been a privilege to continue to chair the group, and seek to turn the recommendations from the Primary Care Health Inequalities Short Life Working Group into concrete proposals and real change.

This report of year one progress shows the breadth of work that is progressing in primary care to address health inequalities, but also highlights the significant challenges that remain, when individuals and families are struggling with the cost of living and there is pressure across health and social care and third sector services with workforce challenges and constrained budgets. Now more than ever we see that the work of the group has to look beyond individual projects and programmes of work, and consider how everything we do across primary care impacts on health inequalities.

Where we have made progress, this has been the result of successful collaboration across different professions, sectors and interests. The group brings a diverse range of views together, and is always challenging us to do more. I would like to thank all members for their continued work and active participation in implementing our recommendations.

I would also like to thank the Chance 2 Change Group, including Leanne McBride, their facilitator, and Dr. Peter Cawston, for continuing to provide a lived experience perspective to the work of the group; their contributions ensure the recommendations we are taking forward are meaningful and will make lasting improvements to the lives of people in some of our most vulnerable communities in Scotland.

There is still much to be done, however, this report aims to provide updates on the positive progress that has been made within the first year and details the next step in the journey towards long term sustainable change.

Lorna Kelly, Chair of the PCHIDG and National Strategic Lead for Primary Care, Health and Social Care Scotland, October 2023