Health inequalities in Birmingham:Barriers encountered in underserved wards in East and West Birmingham

Abstract

This report presents findings from an innovative collaboration between Aston University, Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHC), and Citizens UK. The collaborative project aimed to better understand health inequalities in some of the most deprived wards of East and West Birmingham, and launch a series of co-produced initiatives to help tackle some of the barriers that lead to poor health outcomes. For this project, the team held five listening events with underserved communities in East and West Birmingham, and hosted a community sandpit event to co-produce solutions to respond to local health challenges. As a result of this initiative, five follow-up projects were funded to support health and wellbeing among local residents. The aims of this collaborative initiative were to: 1. Identify local and hyperlocal barriers that lead to poor health outcomes in East and West Birmingham 2. Address power asymmetries in healthcare and capture traditionally underserved voices 3. Propose local and hyperlocal solutions to tackle health inequalities in East and West Birmingham and assess their impact The objectives of the project were to: 1. Listen to communities that have traditionally been underserved and capture their voices and lived experiences 2. Shed light on local communities’ concerns on accessing healthcare services and barriers to health and wellbeing 3. Disseminate findings with the wider health ecosystem to help improve public health services – at the hyperlocal level and within the broader ICS (Integrated Care System) footprint of Birmingham and Solihull 4. Co-produce solutions, pilot community-led projects, and assess the impact of micro-funding on local communities 5. Use the findings to co-design future research projects, with a view to enable change