How Clinical Commissioning Groups Tackle Health Inequalities: A Qualitative Case Study

This PhD project aimed to explore how newly forming Clinical Commissioning Groups were tackling health inequalities (if at all) in the United Kingdom. In 2010, the current coalition government was formed between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. Policy developments led to a change in the organisational structure of the National Health Service, whereby Clinical Commissioning Groups were introduced and charged with a duty to tackle health inequalities. Health inequalities are frequently referred to within politics, health and research. The complexity of the concept and differences in people's understandings of the term meant that a fundamental element of this project was to explore how individuals and organisations conceptualised health inequalities and how this influenced their approach to tackling the issue. Three Clinical Commissioning Groups in the North of England were recruited, and a qualitative case study was conducted. Research methods included interviews, observations and document analysis. Data were collected over a period of 11 months from January 2012 to December 2012. Health inequalities were found to be conceptualised and tackled differently across the three Clinical Commissioning Groups. There were several common themes that were important to Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) members when describing their understandings of health inequalities and strategies to tackle the issue. These included history, relationships and the role of Public Health.