Briefing / Considering health inequalities in business cases

All investment decisions within the NHS will have an impact on health inequalities. This may be intentional if the purpose of the investment is to reduce health inequalities, or unintentional. If not considered explicitly in the business case, the impact may not become apparent until the investment is made and the change enacted, potentially having an adverse effect on local inequality. 

This briefing looks at practical ways in which business cases can consider health inequalities. It steps through the five case model recommended by HM Treasury, looking at how the impact of health inequalities can be quantified and brought into the narrative of the business case. It also suggests questions that people can ask themselves to ensure they have considered health inequalities in all the relevant sections of their business case.