Dr Jennifer Dixon DBE opened the event
The economic case for tackling health inequalities was a stand-out theme at this year’s MJA Symposium.
At the event, held in partnership with The Health Foundation, several speakers presented evidence showing that improving the health of the most deprived would have a beneficial impact to NHS finances and the wider economy.
Dr Jennifer Dixon DBE, Chief Executive of The Health Foundation opened the day by urging members to tackle several overlooked topics, including the realities for those living in towns that have faced economic decline and the scourge of drug addiction.
David Finch, Assistant Director of the Healthy Lives team at The Health Foundation discussed data showing the deteriorating health of the working age population and the employment gap for those with chronic conditions. It is a problem that costs the UK around £15 billion a year and expected to grow if nothing is done, he noted.
Sally Gainsbury, Senior Policy Analyst at the Nuffield Trust, presented the case for prioritising NHS care for the most deprived groups. It is an idea that would face resistance, she stressed, but a policy that could have a big impact in tackling the healthy life expectancy gap.
Instead current plans to speed to access to elective surgery favour the wealthiest in society, she argued as reported by Jane Feinmann for the BMJ.
The Guardian’s Health Inequalities correspondent Tobi Thomas shared in-depth investigations she had done on disparities in maternity care for Black women.
And Madlen Davies from The Examination, showcased her work done in collaboration with journalists across the globe proving pharmaceutical companies were still marketing certain opioids as ‘less addictive’.
UKHSA inequalities report
The UK Health Security Agency launched their first ever health inequalities report under embargo at the event.
Due to be published on Friday the report will set out the disparities in admissions for infectious diseases and the cost to the NHS.
Shabna Begum and Heidi Safia Mirza gave one of the most emotional talks of the day
Those attending the event, which included journalists from The Times, BBC, Guardian, BMJ, Pulse, Pharmaceutical Journal and Doctors.net.uk also heard about inequalities in environmental hazards faced by the poorest in England.
A true highlight of the day was the keynote speech by Professor Heidi Safia Mirza Emeritus Professor of Equality Studies in Education at UCL Institute of Education Shabna Begum, Chief Executive of the Runnymede Trust who warned of the danger of generalisations when it came to ethnicity and inequality.
They urged MJA members to humanise data and statistics by highlighting individual stories, while also ensuring a diversity of experiences is represented in their reporting.
In other talks, Greg Fell, president of the Association of Directors of Public Health set out why cooking classes or weight loss jabs were not the answer the UK’s obesity crisis.
And Paul Bradshaw who leads the MA in Data Journalism Birmingham City University ran a masterclass on how to mine government data through an inequalities lens.
Health Equals and Cancer Research UK were among the organisations who also shared their insight into telling stories around inequality.
A packed session and a packed room at this year’s symposium
MJA vice-chair Emma Wilkinson said it was the best symposium yet. ‘Every speaker was incredibly thought-provoking and our members came away brimming with new ideas, connections and contacts to inform their reporting.
‘We’re incredibly grateful to the Health Foundation for hosting this important event and we’d also like to thank everyone else involved. We’re already thinking about next year because this will take some beating.’
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