Southend Association of Voluntary Services (SAVS), supported by Castle Point Association of Voluntary Services (CAVS) & Rayleigh, Rochford and District Association for Voluntary Service (RRAVS) are administering the local, South East Essex Alliance Health Inequalities Fund in 2025-26.

The National Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Programme sets out the shared commitment of reducing inequalities together. Health inequalities are the preventable disparities in health and care outcomes that exist between different groups within our society.

This funding initiative aims to support targeted projects and programmes for both Adults and Children and Young People (CYP) as expressed in the Core20PLUS5 approach.

There is a total of £574,321.82 available. The fund’s ambition is to fund projects aimed at adults, families, children and young people.

For all information about this funding, please download the Full Guidance Document.

The Health Inequalities funding aims to support projects that use innovative and collaborative methods to reduce health disparities and address preventable differences in healthcare outcomes.

The aims of the Health Inequalities Fund 2025/26 are as follows:

• Address inequalities in health outcomes, patient experience and access to healthcare
• Focus on three adult clinical priorities: Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Cancer, and Respiratory Disease
• Provide preventative solutions or support for a specific community’s needs
• Support the local Integrated Neighbourhood approach to reduce unnecessary visits and admissions to organisations and services that are part of the model
• Reduce the demand on primary care, hospital, or mental health services
• Address other local health inequalities based on the CORE20plus framework
• Focus on five CYP clinical priorities: Asthma, Diabetes, Epilepsy, Oral Health, and Mental Health

Projects MUST meet one or more of these criteria. Those meeting more criteria will be given priority:

For Adults specifically

• Focus on one or more of the three local Clinical Priorities for adults in South East EssexProjects should aim to improve outcomes and provide better care for individuals affected by Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), Cancer, or Respiratory Disease.Projects aimed at delivering against the above and focusing on more than one element of the Core20Plus5 FRAMEWORK will be considered more favourably.

For Children and Young People (CYP) specifically

(Children and Young People is defined in this pack between 0-19 years old and up to 25 years for SEND)

• Focus on one or more of the five Clinical Priorities for Children and Young People in South East Essex
  Projects should aim to improve outcomes and provide better care for Children and Young People affected by Asthma, Diabetes, Epilepsy, Oral Health, and Mental Health.
• Provide preventative solutions with measurable outcomes based on the key local preventative priorities
  Projects that focus on one or more of the key local preventative priorities: Obesity, Healthy Starts, education for parents and children on a nutritional diet and regular physical activities, and promoting sports and active travel for children.

CYP projects delivering to one or more of the CYP Plus Groups will be looked at more favourably, which are; Learning Disabilities, children of inclusion group families, Looked after children, ADHD, and Autism.

For either Adults or CYP

• Integrated Neighbourhood Teams
  The delivery of a holistic approach to addressing residents’ needs and tackling health inequalities, with the first phase focused on those living with frailty or who are in the last months or years of their life.
• Mental Health
  Adoption of the ‘community first’ approach to support individuals within their local community, supporting early intervention to prevent problems from occurring or getting worse.
• Learning Disability and Autism (LDA)
  Improving information and support in local communities for children and adults with LDA and reducing reliance on inpatient care.
• Holistic Support
  Providing a proactive and personalised care approach to management of long-term conditions, supporting individuals’ overall health and wellbeing to prevent ill-health.

Timeline:

Monday 16th June 2025
Fund opens for Expressions of Interest

Monday 23rd June 2025
Online ‘Meet the Funder’ session

Friday 18th July 2025
Closing date for Expressions of Interest

Friday 29th August 2025
Closing date for Full Application submission

Friday 26th September 2025
Applicants notified of decision

By Friday 31st October 2025
Project delivery to begin by this date