OP05 Utilising ambulance service data to address health inequalities in Yorkshire

<h3>Background</h3> Health inequalities, particularly in healthcare access and outcomes, persist in society. Ambulance services play a crucial role in mitigating these disparities. Current indicators for addressing health inequalities are not tailored to ambulance trusts (NHS England, 2023). This study aimed to develop ambulance-specific indicators using data from Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) to describe variations by patient age, sex and deprivation. <h3>Methods</h3> This observational study analysed YAS routinely collected data from 01/01/2023-31/12/2023, using descriptive statistics and stratifying data by demographics and deprivation using the Indices of Multiple Deprivation. <h3>Results</h3> Nearly 800,000 emergency calls were analysed. The most deprived quintile had nearly twice the call rate than the least deprived. Ethnicity was not recorded or unknown in over half of patients (52%). Notable disparities were found across demographic and deprivation groups: Age under 18: Children aged 5–14 accounted for only 2% of calls. Respiratory health: 40% of calls for breathing difficulties in adults came from the most deprived quintile. Mental health: Almost 50,000 mental health–related calls were recorded, with 55% for patients under 40. Cardiovascular disease: A third of all cardiac arrest patients were from the most deprived quintile. Diabetes: 41% of calls for diabetes–related issues were from the most deprived quintile. Oral health: Over 5,000 calls for toothache in under–10s, with 64% from the most deprived group. Maternity care: Half of all maternity–related calls came from the most deprived quintile. Reaching vulnerable groups: Around 2,350 homeless patients were attended to. <h3>Conclusion</h3> The study reveals significant health inequalities in Yorkshire, especially among the most deprived populations. YAS data provides crucial insights, suggesting the need for place-based reporting mechanisms, enhanced ethnicity data collection and national advocacy to embed health inequalities analysis across the ambulance sector. Further efforts are required to refine these indicators and utilise ambulance data effectively to improve health equity.