Reducing Health Inequalities: Lessons from COPD Care Improvements in Hastings

20 April 2026

A webinar will be held on Monday 20 April to discuss strategies for reducing health inequalities related to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), especially in underserved communities. COPD is one of the major causes of health inequality in the UK, as many patients still face problems such as late diagnosis, limited access to treatment, and poor healthcare experiences. These issues often lead to avoidable hospital admissions and poor long-term health outcomes, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

This webinar will explain how strategic partnerships and evidence-based approaches are being used to improve health outcomes for COPD patients. It will focus on the NHS Confederation’s five-step approach to reducing health inequalities, developed in partnership with Sanofi UK and the Sussex Health and Care partnership.

The session will share real examples of interventions introduced in Hastings to improve COPD care and reduce pressure on hospitals. COPD was selected as a priority because of its high number of hospital admissions and poor patient outcomes in the area.

The webinar will present the five-step approach used in Hastings, highlight the importance of collaboration between healthcare organisations and communities, and share practical examples that other regions can adopt.

Participants will also learn about case finding, patient support programmes, and self-management strategies used to help COPD patients. The session will also explain how data analysis and risk-based approaches were used to identify high-risk patients and provide targeted care.

This webinar is designed for healthcare leaders, respiratory care teams, public health professionals, primary care leaders, and organisations working to reduce health inequalities and improve population health.