Health literacy priorities shared; Plan to transform surgical care; AI technology bias risks

Key actions to drive health literacy improvements

A new paper from a global panel of experts says the value of health literacy for individuals and nations cannot be ignored. The Spotlight on health literacy, published on the Economist Impact website, discusses why tackling low health literacy requires a co-ordinated approach. In a consensus report, experts say there are five key health literacy priorities that can reduce health inequities and system costs, and improve health outcomes across society. They are: 

• Adopt a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.
• Make health literacy a core capability and focus in health and social care organisations.
• Develop and co-create high-quality, inclusive information resources.
• Combat misinformation and strengthen critical appraisal skills.
• Strengthen measurement, research and data use.

Read the full paper on the Economist Impact website here.

Prioritising perioperative care is a core solution

The Centre for Perioperative Care (CPOC) has published its manifesto for the 2026 Scottish elections, setting out a plan to transform surgical care across the country. NHS waiting lists in Scotland are at record highs, partly due to avoidable postponements of operations and preventable surgical complications. Unnecessarily long hospital stays and high readmission rates are also cited as reasons. However, CPOC's manifesto says many of these challenges can be avoided by: 

• Turning waiting lists into preparation lists, including early screening of patients and support to improve their health while they wait.
• Actively including patients in decisions about their care.
• Better discharge planning, which can reduce readmission rates.
• Digital systems that help clinicians efficiently share patient information, including between primary and secondary care.

Read the manifesto on the CPOC website here.

AI health technology data bias risks

An article published in the Lancet highlights the risk of AI health technologies exacerbating health inequity by amplifying existing biases and generating new ones. The article says the data used to train, evaluate, and monitor AI health technologies is a major source of bias. Its authors warn that the hope AI will positively influence health-care delivery and outcomes needs to be balanced against the risks of harm associated with algorithmic biases. 

The article includes recommendations to help improve the way datasets are used to build AI health technologies. The authors add: "To build towards more responsible use of health data, we firstly advocate for transparency." 

Read the article on the Lancet website here.

NHS launches missed appointments campaign

A new NHS campaign urges people to "tap the app" to cancel or rearrange appointments after a survey revealed millions of people forgot or arrived too late to appointments last year. The NHS England survey of patients found that 12 per cent said they had forgotten about an appointment in the past and 11 per cent had arrived too late. 

The latest appointment statistics also show that patients did not attend 16 million GP appointments in 2025 – the equivalent of an entire day of missed appointments at every GP practice in England each month. The new Tap the NHS App campaign urges people to turn on push alerts to enable notifications from the NHS App so they get reminders about appointments and can rearrange any they cannot make. Patients are also being encouraged to use the app to request repeat prescriptions instead of having to visit their GP practice.

Read more about the campaign on the NHS England website here.

GP contract proposals 'a positive step', says charity

PIF member National Voices has responded to the new GP contract for 2026/27 which is promising patients better access to appointments and general practice services. It was the first time patient organisations were involved in the consultation process for the GP contract, which will come into force on 1 April. 

Jacob Lant, Chief Executive of National Voices, said: “The final proposals take a positive step by requiring practices to give people clear next steps for non-urgent requests, while protecting same-day responses for clinically urgent needs. We also welcome a clearer commitment that data should be used to understand patient experience and inequalities – not just to count activity.” 

Read more on the National Voices website here.

Study: Exploring access barriers to mental health support

Researchers have investigated clinicians’ experiences in supporting patients from ethnic minority backgrounds with mental health difficulties. People from ethnic minority backgrounds are less likely to access mental health support compared with their White British counterparts. The study aimed to understand the barriers the patients faced when accessing mental health services. Key recommendations include reviewing current training around culturally sensitive care and encouraging community engagement to reduce stigma and build trust.

Read more from the study on the Springer Nature Link website here.

Study: Providing patients with support remotely

The Stroke Association is funding a new study which aims to adapt a support intervention for people who have experienced a Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA) or minor stroke. A team of experts from the University of Nottingham and the Institute of Mental Health will look at how face-to-face support sessions can be offered remotely via smartphones, laptops, or tablets. The sessions provide education, emotional support and advice to help participants understand their condition and make lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of a future stroke and improve their quality of life. The results will help to inform the design of a larger trial in future.

Read more on the study on the Institute of Mental Health website here.

Body parts song challenges stigma and shame

PIF TICK ambassador Dr Aziza Sesay has been spreading the word about a campaign to challenge stigma and shame around women's health. Dr Sesay wrote the song 'They are not bad words' to encourage children to learn the correct names for body parts. Dr Sesay explained: "This campaign is for all of us. To empower all of us. So more women come forward about their problems. So they can confidently describe the areas in which they are experiencing their symptoms. So we can improve outcomes. So we protect our children. So we can save lives. They are not bad words!" This week, Dr Sesay joined Jacqueline Shepherd on BBC Radio London to speak about the campaign.

Watch the BBC London appearance on Facebook here.

Visit the Talks with Dr Sesay website here.

Event: Making sure every voice is heard in health research

Barts Health NHS Trust is hosting a free event about building trust and shaping safer, more inclusive health research. The Community Conversations event is in London on Tuesday, 31 March and will include short talks, activities and small group conversations. It will explore expectations, concerns, and experiences with research involving the pharmaceutical industry. Plans for the new Barts Health Clinical Research Facility will also be shared and guests will be able to visit the Research Marketplace where NHS, academic, and industry exhibitors will be showcasing current and recent studies.

Find out more and book and place on the Eventbrite website here.