The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has developed Spotlight, a pivotal data dissemination platform aimed at enhancing the visibility and accessibility of health statistics for socially excluded groups. Known collectively as inclusion health groups, these populations often face compounded challenges such as poverty, discrimination, and barriers to healthcare access, leading to poorer health outcomes compared to the general populace.

Spotlight focuses on four key health themes: healthcare access and use, preventative care, health outcomes, and wider social determinants of health. Each indicator within these themes is meticulously selected for reliability and relevance, having undergone a rigorous quality assurance process. This ensures that users receive accurate and comprehensive insights into the health challenges faced by groups such as homeless individuals, vulnerable migrants, and the Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities.

Recent updates to the platform, dated 30 October 2024, include regional data for the first time, enhancing its ability to highlight geographical disparities. New data indicators cover critical areas such as musculoskeletal conditions and smoking prevalence among the Gypsy, Roma, and Traveller communities, as well as self-harm and mortality rates in prisons.

Spotlight’s user-friendly interface allows for seamless navigation by theme or keyword, ensuring that vital data is within easy reach for policymakers, researchers, and the public. Each graph is accompanied by detailed metadata and source information, fostering informed interpretations. By leveraging precise statistics and intuitive design, Spotlight plays an essential role in addressing health inequalities and guiding effective interventions for some of society’s most vulnerable groups.

Spotlight is a useful tool that helps us understand the health issues faced by vulnerable groups. By making important data easy to access, it helps guide decisions that can improve health for those who need it most.

Source: GOV.UK