The NHS England approach to support the reduction of health inequalities, Core20PLUS5, was expanded and adapted in December 2022 to focus on the health of children and young people (CYP), to ultimately enable each citizen to get the best possible start in life. The approach defines a target population cohort; i) the 20% most deprived and ii) ‘PLUS’ groups experiencing poorer than average care. It also identifies ‘5’ focus clinical areas requiring accelerated improvement – asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, oral health and mental health.
However, the drive to improve outcomes in CYP is not new. The NHS Long Term Plan referenced an ambition to ensure a strong start in life for children and young people, and the resulting CYP Transformation Programme has been prioritising improvements in childhood immunisation, long-term conditions, mental health, weight management and many more, and paediatric networks are working to ensure children and young people are able to access high quality services as close to home as possible.
This award recognises innovative and creative initiatives which aim to reduce healthcare inequalities and improve CYP health outcomes at a national or local level – not exclusively, but especially those which align with the Core20PLUS5 approach.
Judges are looking for entries that drive tangible improvements in access, experiences and outcomes for children and young people. Winners will be projects co-designed and co-produced with patients and their families, built on strong local partnerships, that use data and insights effectively and intelligently to target interventions and demonstrate measurable impacts outlining what has actually made a difference to communities.
Eligibility
All NHS organisations (including providers, partnerships and systems), General Practice and primary care organisations, as well as other public and voluntary sector organisations working in partnership with the NHS to improve outcomes in CYP.