The findings of the Scottish Health Survey 2022 have recently been published and they show that area deprivation is a factor associated with worse health outcomes in almost every single issue the survey examined: mental health, cardiovascular disease, respiratory health, dental health, chronic pain, smoking, diet and obesity, and physical activity. People living in the least affluent areas of Scotland have significantly poorer mental and physical health than those in the most affluent areas.
This survey is another reminder that our services and practitioners need to be focused on preventing and mitigating health inequalities.
QNIS is delighted to have worked with the Burdett Trust for Nursing to support 45 community nurses and midwives to attend a nine-month programme of workshops. The programme aimed to develop the specific interpersonal and relational knowledge and skills required for the provision of healthcare in populations facing poverty, adversity and multimorbidity, and we hope to offer it again next year.
QNIS also received funding from the Burdett Trust for Nursing to support four community nurses who are working on CVD prevention to undertake the Queen’s Nurse Development Programme this year. As part of the programme, they are working on projects to deliver lasting change in the health of local people to prevent cardiovascular disease with a particular focus on reducing health inequalities.
We hope both these initiatives will help to mitigate some of the significant disadvantages that contribute to health inequalities in our communities.
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