Bridging the gap: Addressing health inequalities in Scotland’s Primary Care
- Written by: Sara Redmond — Chief Officer of Development
- Published: 5th September 2023
The vital role of Community Link Workers and the challenges they face due to funding uncertainties.
The conditions in which we are born, grow, live, work and age are known to be a key driver of our health throughout our life. Yet, despite having greater health needs evidence tells us that people living in deprived areas have less access to primary care services than people in more affluent areas. Current evidence shows that there has been too little focus or action on supporting general practice to tackle health inequalities, despite primary care being the front door into health care and services for many people. There is also evidence (in a report published by Dr David Blane, Academic GP from the University of Glasgow) to suggest that the formula for allocating funding to GP Practices does not take sufficiently consider deprivation when calculating funding made available.
One of Scotland’s main interventions to address this unequal access to primary care services is Community Links Workers. The precarity of funding for these vital roles, demonstrated by the situation in Glasgow City where funding for the programme is being cut by a third has widespread implications for the retention of Link Workers, job satisfaction and motivation, and future planning. Many of the Community Link Worker services are funded through the Primary Care Improvement Fund, which also covers Community Treatment and Assessment Centres and Pharmacotherapy support. There is currently no protected funding for Link Workers despite the ALLIANCE and others having called for this over many years as we worked with Scottish Government to develop and deliver the pilot for the programme back in 2008.
As the First Minister announces his Programme for Government and pledges to continue addressing the causes and consequences of poverty in Scotland, I will be scrutinising the extent to which the commitments for health and social care take into account the inequalities being experienced and start to evidence that there is genuine commitment to address this unfair and unjust differences in health.
End of page.
You may also like:
Director of the Links programme, Roseann, discusses why we need to focus on person centred care, and why the programme is central to this.
Continue readingReflections on the ALLIANCE Integration in Action: Inclusive Leadership event.
Continue readingWhat does The Scottish Report tell us about how we're supporting people with inflammatory mediated autoimmune conditions (IMIDs)?
Continue readingAvril McLean from Action from ME shares new resources designed to support professionals understand the impact of ME on people's lives.
Continue readingMandy Wright from Home Energy Scotland shares how partnerships positively impact their work.
Continue readingToo many young people are falling through the mental health support gap. How do we fix the "Missing Middle"?
Continue readingJoe McCready from Carers UK shares how important their annual survey is, and why it is invaluable for unpaid carers to have their say.
Continue readingColette reflects on the last 12 years of the Community Links Worker programme, as well as her own experience of being a CLW.
Continue readingWith the current World Cup, gambling presents an even higher risk. How can we prevent young people from getting tangled in this web?
Continue readingDr Anthony McMahon reflects on the importance of the Community Links Worker within his GP surgery - and why it makes all the difference.
Continue readingAs part of our 20 year anniversary, the Integration Team highlight the importance of our Connected Communities series.
Continue readingTo mark ‘What matters to you?’ Day, The ALLIANCE's Barbara Flynn considers the impact of Tommy Whitelaw’s talks for nurses and midwives.
Continue readingThe ALLIANCE’s Humans of Scotland project works to challenge stigma.
Continue readingIn her latest TFN column, our Chief Officer Sara Redmond reflects on post election feelings and Scotland’s future.
Continue readingALLIANCE Chief Officer, Sara Redmond, reflects on our Annual Conference 2026 and how we're turning hope into action.
Continue readingALLIANCE member, Catherine, shares the importance of initiatives like 'What Matters To You?' Day in promoting person centred care.
Continue readingLearn about how the ALLIANCE has championed joined-up, person centred care.
Continue readingDementia Action Week highlighted some great resources and support for people living with dementia and their family, friends, and carers.
Continue readingSteven Mair gives us an insight into his role as a gamer at the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity.
Continue readingSince 2009, ALISS has helped people find local health and wellbeing support. Any group, big or small, can add their information.
Continue readingThe new Scottish Government must turn promises into action to improve hospice and palliative care
Continue readingTogether, we can create lasting change for everyone living with Crohn’s or Colitis.
Continue readingFind out more about these digital self management tools and how to get in touch to arrange an information session.
Continue readingOur Chief Officer Sara Redmond addresses recent commentary on the relationship between Government and the Third Sector.
Continue readingCornell explores how we can build an environmental human rights-based culture
Continue reading