Core20PLUS5 – An approach to reducing health inequalities for children and young people

Core20PLUS5 is a national NHS England approach to support the reduction of health inequalities at both national and system level. The approach defines a target population cohort and identifies ‘5’ focus clinical areas requiring accelerated improvement.

The approach, which initially focussed on healthcare inequalities experienced by adults, has now been adapted to apply to children and young people–the information below outlines the Core20PLUS5 approach for children and young people.

More information about the Core20PLUS5 approach for adults can be found on our website here.

Core20

The most deprived 20% of the national population as identified by the national Index of multiple deprivation (IMD). The IMD has seven domains with indicators accounting for a wide range of social determinants of health. For children and young people wider sources of data may also be helpful including the national child mortality data base and data available on the Fingertips platform.

PLUS

PLUS population groups include ethnic minority communities; inclusion health groups; people with a learning disability and autistic people; coastal communities with pockets of deprivation hidden amongst relative affluence; people with multi-morbidities; and protected characteristic groups; amongst others. Specific consideration should be taken for the inclusion of young carers, looked after children/care leavers and those in contact with the justice system.

Inclusion health groups include: people experiencing homelessness, drug and alcohol dependence, vulnerable migrants, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, sex workers, people in contact with the justice system, victims of modern slavery and other socially excluded groups.

5

The final part sets out five clinical areas of focus. The five areas of focus are part of wider actions for Integrated Care Board and Integrated Care Partnerships to achieve system change and improve care for children and young people. Governance for these five focus areas sits with national programmes; national and regional teams coordinate local systems to achieve aims.

1. Asthma

  • Address over reliance on reliever medications; and
  • Decrease the number of asthma attacks.

2. Diabetes

  • Increase access to real-time continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps across the most deprived quintiles and from ethnic minority backgrounds; and
  • Increase proportion of those with Type 2 diabetes receiving recommended NICE care processes.

3. Epilepsy

  • Increase access to epilepsy specialist nurses and ensure access in the first year of care for those with a learning disability or autism.

4. Oral health

  • Tooth extractions due to decay for children admitted as inpatients in hospital, aged 10 years and under.

5. Mental health

  • Improve access rates to children and young people’s mental health services for 0-17 year olds, for certain ethnic groups, age, gender and deprivation.

Download a PDF of the above Core20PLUS5 children and young people infographic