Health Inequalities Information Statement Annual report 2024/25 Summary
Progress and Areas for Improvement in Tackling Health Inequalities within MSE
Introduction
NHS organisations have a legal duty to collect, analyse and publish information on health inequalities (HI) every year. NHS England’s Statement on Information on Health Inequalities sets out how organisations should exercise this duty and what information should be published. This includes a list of indicators which organisations should report against. The indicators are aligned to key health inequalities priorities for the NHS, which includes the five priority areas for addressing healthcare inequalities and the Core20PLUS5 approach to reducing inequalities for adults and children and young people
This 2024–25 Health Inequalities Information Statement Annual Report outlines the achievements, challenges, and forward trajectory of the work undertaken across MSE towards inequalities improvement. Over the past year, significant strides have been made in embedding equity into NHS service planning, fostering collaborative leadership, and strengthening system-wide approaches to reducing health inequalities. Nonetheless, there remain areas requiring sustained focus and development to meet the ambition of eliminating unjust and avoidable differences in health outcomes.
Mid and South Essex (MSE) is home to 1.3 million people, with approximately 10.5% living in areas of high deprivation—communities where health inequalities and poorer health outcomes are most pronounced. These disparities are strongly influenced by factors such as deprivation, ethnicity, gender, and age. While targeted initiatives have led to improvements in several areas, significant gaps remain. Identifying where progress has been achieved—and where persistent challenges exist—is essential to driving effective, system-wide action.
What are we doing well.
Strategic Integration of Health Inequalities Objectives: There is clear evidence of alignment with the NHS Core20PLUS5 approach, as well as efforts to integrate HI priorities into strategic and operational planning across ICSs.
Leadership and Governance: MSE ICB has established robust governance frameworks to embed equity within all our processes. Additionally, HI leads have become increasingly established in local structures.
Data-Driven Planning and Insights: The use of data to identify population needs and inform targeted interventions has matured.
Collaborative Working and Community Engagement: Partnerships with Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations, local authorities, and communities have deepened, enabling co-production approaches and more responsive service planning.
Workforce Development: Efforts to embed HI training across staff groups, alongside leadership development programmes, have enhanced awareness and capability within the workforce.
Innovative Practice and Learning: Numerous examples of innovative interventions targeting Core20PLUS5 populations (e.g. maternity, severe mental illness, early cancer diagnosis) demonstrate the potential for scalable impact.
Areas of good progress
Across the system, several interventions have led to measurable improvements in health access, outcomes, and equity. The following highlights demonstrate where concerted efforts have begun to narrow the health gap:
| Domain | Key Achievements |
|---|---|
| Preventative Health | Annual Health check uptake exceeded national targets for those with Learning Disabilities (MSE 77.8% vs target 75%) or Severe Mental Illness (MSE 67.9% vs target of 60%). |
| Access Equity | Reduced outpatient waiting time disparities across ethnic/socioeconomic groups. |
| Child Oral Health | Drop in childhood tooth extractions in deprived areas. |
| Mental Health | Recovery outcomes in Talking Therapies for global majority groups now in line with White British. |
| Vaccination Uptake | Flu vaccination rates improved among high-risk and deprived groups. |
| Cardiovascular Care | Fewer heart attacks in most deprived groups; statin prescribing in the most ethnic diverse and deprived populations is higher than the national average. |
| Maternal Health | Smoking at delivery status now below 6% meeting the national target. |
| Weight Management | Increased referrals to the NHS Digital Weigh Management Programme from deprived and global majority background, with rising male engagement. |
Areas for improvement
Despite gains, there remain persistent areas of inequality where focused action is still needed. These include differences in access, treatment, and outcomes that dis-proportionately affect people from ethnic minority backgrounds, younger adults, and those living in deprived communities:
| Domain | Persistent Inequalities |
|---|---|
| Maternity | Higher preterm birth rates among Asian and Black women, although MSE rates are lower than the national average. |
| Mental Health Detentions | Disproportionate use of Mental Health Act in deprived and ethnic minority populations. |
| Vaccinations | Low COVID and Flu vaccine uptake in deprived and ethnic minority communities. |
| Cancer Screening | Lower uptake of breast and bowel screening in deprived areas. |
| Hypertension | Undertreatment to target among younger and non-white British individuals. |
| Diabetes Care | Widening gaps in care processes for under-40s and deprived groups. |
Opportunities and next steps
To further reduce inequalities and maintain momentum, the following actions are recommended. These build on current strengths while addressing persistent challenges in system integration, service delivery, and community engagement:
- Strengthen data completeness and granularity, particularly for ethnicity and inclusion groups.
- Prioritise targeted interventions in maternity, cancer screening, and mental health detentions.
- Sustain investment in community engagement and co-production models.
- Expand real-time evaluation and impact measurement across Core20PLUS5 priority areas.
Conclusion
This second annual HI report highlights meaningful progress in embedding health equity into services and reducing gaps in key health outcomes. However, entrenched disparities in specific groups and services demand continued focus, partnership, and system-wide accountability to ensure equitable health for all in MSE.