Health Care Resources

Question 1

What are some variations in healthcare utilization? What are some underlying causes?

Answer 1

Age, Gender, social class, regional area and ethnicity. Disproportional distribution between most and least deprived areas. Stereotypes which effect people accessing healthcare due to gender and ethnicity.

Question 2

Explain the concept of equity in healthcare.

Answer 2

• Equity means fairness. Since many factors influence health it means equity of health is never achievable.

Question 3

Explain the distrinction between vertical and horizontal equity

Answer 3

Horizontal - Equity between people with same heallth care needs.
Vertical - refers to those with unequal needs who should receive different or unequal health care.

Question 4

How can you measure health inequalities?

Answer 4

• Measuring health need,
• Measuring access to health care,
• Measuring quality of health care

Question 5

What are some pressures on the NHS budget?

Answer 5

• Covid-19,
• Workforce vacancies and shortages,
• Medicines,
• Savings,
• Innovations,
• Estate,
• Brexit

Question 6

What are some factors that contribute to inequalities in healthcare?

Answer 6

• Adverse childhood experiences,
• Poor health literacy,
• Poor understanding of risk,
• Poverty and debt,
• Obesity,
• Drugs and alcohol,
• Smoking.

Question 7

What are some stake holders involved in meaking decisions?

Answer 7

Local authorities and Primary care trusts

Question 8

How are priorities set?

Answer 8

Via a scoring system agreed against certain factors eg, • the nature of the health gain
• confidence in the clinical evidence
• the number of individuals benefiting
• cost-effectiveness/value for money
• the need to redress inequalities and inequities
of access
• accessibility
• national priorities
• stated local priorities
• clinical risks
• service risks
• quality issues
• cost
• legislation and direction from the Secretary of State
• patient choice.