Overcoming Covid-19 vaccination health inequalities

Outcome/aim

To ensure clear and accurate information is available to allow individuals to make an informed choice to take up the Covid-19 vaccine through the Vaccination Health Inequalities Plan. As of May 24 2021: 424,000 people have had a first vaccination, 85.9% of clinically extremely vulnerable and 79.7% of ‘at-risk’ have been vaccinated.

Background and purpose
Previous UK national vaccination programmes reported vaccine uptake has been lower in areas with a higher proportion of minority ethnic group populations, and high deprivation. This is of particular concern because of their increased risk of infection and death due to Covid-19.

From evidence and insight potential causes of this lower uptake is due to:

Confidence – driven by lack of or misinformation and distrust in institutions; also consideration time needed to decide
Convenience – ease of access to vaccinations
Complacency – low perceptions of risk of becoming ill

What has been delivered?
We have recognised the need to take vaccines into the heart of communities, developing trust with local people and making the vaccine as accessible as possible. The approach therefore has been based on three main programmes developing different models to improve access of the vaccine and to ensure that no-one is left behind:

Supporting the eight Primary Care Network (PCN) in areas of highest deprivation to increase uptake by for example using community venues and faith settings
Improving equitable access through roving mobile provision; targeted vaccine provision for inclusion groups and creating a women-only vaccine clinic
Engaging with communities to ensure that the messages are right for them, adapting the approach and tone on their feedback. Outreach teams – from the third sector, volunteers and partner organisations – have been engaging with the local community to encourage people to take vaccines.

What was the impact/next steps?
Improved access to Covid-19 vaccines from communities in areas of deprivation. Key stats as of May 24 2021:

424k people have had a first vaccination
85.9% of clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) and 79.7% of ‘at-risk’ have been vaccinated compared to 57.9% of the overall GP registered population over 16
50.5% of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic (BAME) in all priority groups 2-11 have had a first vaccination, compared to 77.3% in white (70.0% and 90.4% in groups 2-9).

75.4% of BAME CEV have been vaccinated,
In the ‘at-risk’ group, 63.6% of BAME have been vaccinated

58.3% of those living in the most deprived areas have been vaccinated (groups 2-11)
84.6% of those with learning disabilities (LD) have now been vaccinated, and 75.7% of all those with severe mental impairment (SMI) have been vaccinated.
77.6% of those recorded with English as their main language have been vaccinated