Trust is the algorithm - discussing health inequalities with Professor Habib Naqvi MBE FFPH More than seven in ten attendees at our opening Patient Partnership Week 2026 webinar told us, in a live poll, that their background or personal circumstances have affected the care they have received. That is real time evidence of how health inequalities and the social determinants of health can directly impact the way patients receive care. Our Chief Executive, Rachel Power, was joined by Professor Habib Naqvi MBE FFPH, Chief Executive of the NHS Race and Health Observatory. Together, they explored the root causes of health inequalities and the role that trust plays in tackling them. Professor Naqvi’s definition of trust has stayed with us. He described it as “truth told consistently over time”. When trust breaks down, so does confidence – in treatment, in research, and in the system itself. As he put it, “trust has become a social determinant of health.” Bias in medical research Professor Naqvi shared how bias in medical research is not contained. When clinical trials exclude patients from racially minoritised communities, it can have a detrimental impact on the way in which patients from these communities experience care. We heard examples of medical technology that doesn’t work as accurately on darker skin tones, and a chemotherapy drug that missed an African genomic variant, with fatal consequences for Black patients. These examples are why we support the Race and Health Observatory’s calls for reducing medical bias in health research. Patients deserve outcomes that reflect who they are. What patients told us Our attendees were engaged, sharing their own experiences of poor care and health inequalities. Key themes that emerged included: Frustration at calling patients from underrepresented communities “hard to reach” Comments about digital-only NHS services that have prevented access for older people, people without access to technology, and people who speak English as an additional language Financial barriers, including long and costly journeys in rural areas Concerns that pain is dismissed based on a patient’s ethnicity A recurring call for co-production to be continuous, not just a one-off exercise. We were particularly struck by how often co-production came up, both from our panellists and in the chat, and how often it was linked to power. Equal partnership between the NHS and community groups, charities and patients themselves is not a ‘nice-to-have'. It is how inequality can be tackled at the root. Speakers Chair: Rachel Power, Chief Executive, the Patients Association Professor Habib Naqvi MBE FFPH, Chief Executive, NHS Race and Health Observatory Full poll results (Percentages rounded to nearest whole number) Have you ever felt that your background or personal circumstances affected the care you received? (86 responses) # % No 16 19 Unsure 7 8 Yes, significantly 23 27 Yes, sometimes 40 46 Manage Cookie Preferences