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Phil Hope launches more 'Pacesetters' to reduce health inequalities

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH News Release issued by COI News Distribution Service. 19 November 2008

Eighteen new projects will have access to a £5.5 million pot to come up with innovative new ways of helping people from marginalised communities cope with diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease, Care Services Minister Phil Hope announced today.

The projects form the second wave of 'Pacesetters' - a scheme set up in 2007 to improve the health and wellbeing of people in deprived areas. The new Pacesetters are free to come up with innovative ideas but must focus on specific serious conditions.

The first wave of the Pacesetters programme has already been successful in tackling health inequalities from marginalised communities.

Successful projects in wave one include:

* designing services for deaf communities through the first British Sign Language (BSL) care plans.
* increasing breast screening rates for women with learning disabilities in Walsall; and
* improving experiences for people with learning disabilities staying in hospital

Pacesetter trusts in wave one of the programme worked on testing new ways to improve access to services for vulnerable communities. The second wave of the programme focuses on making an impact for families affected by diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Speaking at an event for SHAs and other NHS organisations today, Care Services Minister Phil Hope said:

"Pacesetters is a ground breaking project which tackles health inequalities in marginalised communities. With this phase, our aim is to help families affected by serious diseases.

"The first round of projects have proven very successful. For example, in Walsall, of the women with learning disabilities who agreed to breast screening, 100 per cent have now been screened, with appropriate support, compared to a national average of 17 per cent. I am confident the next round of projects can bring similar successes."

The next wave of Pacesetters projects will provide further case studies and evidence to help other trusts tackle health inequalities in their areas.

Notes to Editors:

Care Services Minister, Phil Hope was speaking today at an event at Church House Conference Centre in Westminster. He spoke to an audience of representatives from participating SHAs and other related NHS organisations.

Pacesetters is a partnership between the NHS, the Department of Health and local communities who experience health inequalities such as people with disabilities or BME communities.

Funding for Pacesetters started in 07/08, for three years. The funding is to kick start local initiatives which are then self-sustaining.

Pacesetters Wave one worked with six Strategic Health Authorities:
West Midlands, East Midlands, London, SE Coast, South West, Yorks & Humber
The trusts joining the programme in Wave two are:

* Lewisham PCT
* Ealing PCT
* Eastern & Coastal Kent PCT
* SEC Ambulance Service Trust
* Ashford & St Peter's Hospital NHS Trust (conditional)
* South Birmingham PCT
* Birmingham East & North PCT
* Stoke on Trent PCT (conditional)
* Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT
* Gloucestershire PCT
* NHS Plymouth
* Swindon PCT
* Leeds PCT
* Bradford & Airedale Teaching PCT
* Doncaster PCT
* Lincolnshire Teaching PCT
* Nottingham City PCT
* Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust

The projects involved in Wave one were:

* Leeds Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
* Sheffield PCT
* Yorkshire Ambulance Service
* Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust
* Walsall Integrated Learning Disability Service
* Wolverhampton City PCT
* Bristol PCT
* South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust
* University Hospitals of Leicester
* East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust
* Leicester City PCT
* Kings College Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
* Newham PCT
* East London NHS Foundation Trust
* Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust
* Surrey & Borders Partnership NHS Trust
* Hastings and Rother PCT
* East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust

Case studies are available on request.

Any further enquiries, then please call the Department of Health Newsdesk on 0207 210 5221