Cost of health inequality to the NHS in Wales

Summary:

This research aims to estimate the financial cost of inequality to the NHS in Wales, focusing on the additional healthcare use associated with deprivation. Using whole-population hospital service data, the research estimates hospital utilisation, and the associated costs across five deprivation groups, disaggregated by age, sex, and type of hospital service. 

The findings highlight substantial disparities in health and healthcare use, reinforcing the case for targeted investment. Reducing these inequalities through a combination of health promotion and early intervention policies for deprived communities could yield substantial improvement in health and well-being, and lead to significant savings for the Welsh NHS through reduced reliance on emergency hospital care. 

This research is accompanied by an interactive dashboard, allowing users to explore in detail, the disaggregated costs associated with inequality.

You can read the report related to this article here.

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• Opens a new window Cost of health inequality to the NHS in Wales