Health Inequalities and Medical Students

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Health Inequalities and Medical Students

• Dr Joseph O Neill, MRCGP
• Honorary Lecturer Liverpool University

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Why do it?

• Sustainable
• Enjoyment
• Awareness raising

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Innovation and Evolution

• GP Practice based initially
• NGO input identified as essential
• Flexible and friendly NGOs

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Liverpool Medical School

• Community based program
• Problem based learning
• Program needs community placements
• Innovative
• Accessible

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Development

• Organic
• Trial and error
• Learning episodes
• Complex vulnerable client group
• Mentoring and supervision of students, clients,
  and NGO staff
• Feedback mechanisms

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Organisation

• Clear goals and objectives
• SSM 3000 word essay
• Self protection (Safety netting)
• Activity outline (See handout)

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SSM

• 3000 words
• Over 4 weeks
• Choice of case study, interpretative essay,
  systematic review
• Clear marking schedule
• Third party scrutiny
• Over 90 have scored very good or excellent

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SSM Subjects covered

• Human Rights
• Health Inequalities
• Asylum Seekers
• Homelessness
• Substance Misuse
• Offender Health
• Travellers
• Global Health

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Benefits (1) Students

• Human Rights awareness -toxic asylum process
• Media portrayal of asylum seekers
• Wish to become more involved with asylum seekers,
  eg STAR group

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Benefits - Students

• Racial Equality, BRM issues
• Mental Health
• NGO experience, hospitality factor
• Teamwork for complex needs
• System injustice
• Opportunity for SSM to inform service development
• Enjoyable experience despite issues

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Benefits (2) -NGO

• Income
• Awareness raising
• Improved ability to advocate on behalf of clients
• Improved NGO/NHS dialogue
• Expert updates on key local issues
• Morale building

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Benefits (3) Asylum Seeker

• Income
• Sympathetic hearing from professional in training
• Opportunity to raise campaign profile
• Opportunity for their experience to help other
  asylum seekers
• Reducing overwhelming feelings of helplessness

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Benefits (4) - University

• Student placements
• High quality placements
• Racial equality agenda
• Interpreter issues
• Mental health agenda
• High quality SSM results
• Happy students

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Collateral (Spin-off )benefits

• Asylum Health Strategy
• Student Volunteering
• Asylum Health monthly postgraduate program
• Long term Doctors of tomorrow
• Mental Health Commission and CSIP informed of
  service provision gaps

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Further Developments

• Expand program student numbers, and agencies
  involved
• Two month student electives
• Link with VSO, MSF, LSTM etc
• Other professional groups eg nurses, social
  workers, mental health trust
• National pilot for health inequality training

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National Pilot Health Inequality Training

• Resources
• Program development
• Core topics
• Standards
• Mentoring and support
• Flexible innovative development

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Summary

• Medical student health inequality training is
  very worthwhile and enjoyable to do
• It benefits the clients, students, NGO, and all
  the agencies involved
• Its early development needs protected time for
  mentoring and support
• It has tangible short term benefits, and proven
  effects on service development

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Contact Details

• Dr Joseph O Neill, MRCGP
• Health Inequalities SSM
• 4 Hamilton Street
• Chester
• CH2 3JG
• 01244 322440
• Email jmoneill_at_btinternet.com