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Now you know why health inequalities matter, what are you going to do about them? How do we turn good intentions into meaningful action?
Whether you’re seasoned professional or a newbie to health inequalities work, The WHAM vault has a bank of resources to help you to take action on the social determinants of health in clinical settings now.
Click on the the links in the table to access resources including: templates for screening for social concerns and resources leaflets (changing clinical practice), example departmental presentations outlining the evidence for a need to address social determinants of health in clinical practice (changing health systems), tips on how to make the argument for change to the media (changing the world).
Please note: We are not claiming this vault to be the last word on the kinds of action that might be taken to address heath inequality in clinical practice. Rather it is merely what we have found to work in our own practice, and what others seem to have found useful. We share them with you as a way to make the principles above concrete and encourage you to add to the vault with your own contributions! Indeed, as a member of the WHAM community, we expect you to tailor our tools for your local needs and adapt with all the personal flair you possess.
WHAM believes change comes through working inter professionally. Every member of the team, no matter how junior or what their disciplinary background, should not only be encouraged but expected to use their inherent capabilities to effect the change they need, where they work. We’ve shied away from being prescriptive - change cannot simply be transplanted from place to another. That said we also recognise that we don’t all come to this work with the same experience so we’ve provided a range of support to cover the spectrum.
Some people want to create solutions for themselves and just need some guidance of the direction in which to go. Consider these the ‘first principles’ of how to address health inequality as a conscius clinician. Other people either want immediate answers to a specific question, or need a little more help to get started. In this case, WHAM offers a ‘starter kit’ or the WHAM Vault of various tools which, with practice, can be improved. Of course, it’s not an either/ or situation. Most people will do a bit of both. Using our first principles in combination with the stash in the WHAM Vault will help clinicians who want to move beyond 'going through the motions' at work and instead feel motivated to do good, by learning how to flex - or sometimes even break - the rules, to better serve their patients. As you’ll see, being creative about how to tackle health inequlity where you work can be subversive and wicked and a lot of fun.
