People living in some of Scotland’s most deprived communities
will benefit from an additional £1 million of funding to help
tackle health inequalities.
The Inclusion Health Action in General Practice programme
provides targeted funding for support to patients whose social
circumstances have a negative impact on their health.
The funding is allocated directly to practices which are in the
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board area and feature on
the list of 100 most deprived practices in Scotland.
First Minister made the announcement as he
visited the New Gorbals Health Centre in Glasgow.
The First Minister said:
“General practice is at the heart of our communities and is
uniquely placed to deliver the care and support needed by
patients who experience health inequalities.
“Of the one hundred poorest practices in the whole of Scotland,
shockingly 81 currently sit within the Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Health Board area – a statistic I am determined to change.
“This additional funding of £1 million will build on the
foundations of previous funding. At a time when the cost of
living crisis is widening health inequalities, this is an
important step that supports our commitments to prevention and
early intervention with patients at highest risk of poor health.”
Lorna Kelly, Chair of the Primary Care Health Inequalities
Development Group said:
“The NHS needs to be at its best where it is needed the most, or
health inequalities will continue to worsen.
“This additional resource to general practices serving the most
deprived communities in Scotland is therefore very welcome.”
Background
Inclusion Health Action in General Practice funding of £300,000
in 2022-23 was provided to general practices in NHS Greater
Glasgow and Clyde with the highest levels of poverty and
disadvantage.
IHAGP relates to recommendation from the Short Life Working Group
on Health Inequalities in Primary Care report, published in March
2022, that the Scottish Government provide general practices with
increased resources targeted at deprivation. The intent of the
recommendation was:
- to address a gap between existing demand-led funding
allocation processes and patient needs associated with
inequality; and
- to act as a bridging mechanism between the current General
Practice funding formula and any future funding model/approach
which takes fuller account of deprivation.
