Corporate report

UKHSA Advisory Board: Equalities, Ethics and Communities Committe minutes

Updated 20 November 2025

1. Recommendation

The Advisory Board is asked to note the minutes of 15 July 2025 meeting of the Equalities, Ethics and Communities Committee. The minutes were agreed on 11 November 2025.

Minutes (confirmed), UKHSA Equalities, Ethics and Communities Committee

Present at the meeting were:

• Graham Hart – Non-Executive Member of UKHSA Advisory Board (Chair)
• Shona Arora – Director, Health Equity and Clinical Governance
• Dame Marie Gabriel – Associate non-executive member
• Raj Long – Associate Non-Executive Member of UKHSA Advisory Board
• Hannah Taylor – Director, Policy
• Will Welfare – Director, Health Protection in Regions
• 1 member had their name and title redacted

In attendance were:

• 9 attendees had their names and titles redacted

Apologies:

• Olly Clifton-Moore - Director, Analysis & Intelligence Assessment
• Susan Hopkins – Chief Medical Advisor (Executive Lead)
• Mark Lloyd – Non-Executive Member of UKHSA Advisory Board

2. Welcome, apologies and declarations of interest

25/047 The Chair welcomed participants to the meeting, noted apologies, and confirmed that there were no declarations of interest.

3. Minutes of the previous meeting and actions

25/048 The Equalities, Ethics and Communities Committee agreed the minutes of the 8 April 2025 meeting (enclosure EEC/25/016) and noted the action log (enclosure EEC/25/017).

4. Effectiveness Survey

25/049 The Chair presented an update on the 2024/25 Effectiveness Survey (enclosure EEC/25/018) and invited members to reflect on the findings and identify areas for improvement.

25/050 The Annual Report for 2024/25 and summary of the Effectiveness Review 2024/25 was noted; and recommendations for implementation in the 2025/26 year were agreed.

25/051 It was noted that following the last Advisory Board meeting, an informal session was held with the Chairs of the NEM-led committees to discuss effectiveness and how to gain greater value from the Advisory Board Committees. Discussions focused on aligning committee agendas with Board priorities and enhancing the strategic contribution of NEMs, Strategy and Corporate Governance teams agreed to coordinate planning cycles and engagement.

25/052 It was agreed that the functioning of the committees and the relevance of topics discussed were seen as effective.  Future committee work sh

5. Update on Artificial Intelligence

25/053 [Title redacted] presented the Artificial Intelligence update on AI related Activity in UKHSA (enclosure EEC/25/019).

25/054 AI was acknowledged as a critical and rapidly evolving area with the potential to support public health objectives, such as examples including addressing health inequalities and enabling rapid translation of text into national languages.

25/055 The committee noted the developments in UKHSA’s strategic approach to AI

25/056 The following points were raised:

• that public health benchmarking use cases were evolving, and AI could enhance operational efficiency across the organisation and with external partners.
• a director-level governance board has been established to assure delivery of UKHSA’s AI strategic approach.
• Ethical and equitable risks are assessed as part of the AI Assessment Framework and through UKHSA’s existing processes governing use of data.
• ongoing discussions with other government departments and health family partners, including MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) and CQC (Care Quality Commission) are helping to shape guidance and ensure alignment with NICE standards.
• other government departments, such as the Department for Transport (DfT), were cited as being advanced in AI applications. The committee discussed the importance of learning from Whitehall trials, including Copilot evaluations, for future business planning.  The use of chatbots was discussed, with recognition of associated legal implications. The committee emphasised the need for a rigorous approach to AI deployment, with equity and ethical dimensions at the forefront.
• Committee members expressed concern that strict governance could hinder innovation and delay implementation.

25/057 The committee discussed the importance of ensuring equity is embedded in all AI-related activities. It was recommended that AI use cases continue to be assessed using the governance framework. Staff engagement and adherence to internal guidelines were highlighted to ensure being mindful on outputs.

25/058 The Chair thanked those involved in strategic and technical AI delivery for their work and suggested that any future update include a case study focusing on ethical or equalities dimensions as an example.

6. Health Equity for Health Protection Initiative

25/059 [Title redacted], presented an update on the progress of the Health Equity for Health Protection Initiative (enclosure EEC/25/020).

25/060 The (HEHPI) Health Equity in Health Protection Initiative, previously known as HEARD (Health Equity Analysis Research Data) represents a new partnership approach to strengthen relationships across health equity in health protection, integrating efforts with policy and communications.

25/061 HEHPI is structured around four key components:

• a dedicated HEPHI gov.uk platform and internal Pulse page.
• a Community of Practice to share ideas and guide future research.
• impactful communications to raise awareness and engagement.
• upskilling UKHSA staff in research skills related to health equity.

The initiative has been socialised at ExCo and was supported by a cross-agency Steering Group comprising of internal and external stakeholders. It was scheduled to return to the Health Equity Board in September, with the next Steering Group meeting to follow.

25/062 The Committee noted the update to the HEHPI initiative and expressed support for the proposed ambition and purpose.

25/063 The Committee provided the following feedback:

• the Steering Group was seen as a valuable mechanism, with the right mix of colleagues involved. Evaluation of the initiative’s impact was considered essential.
• members encouraged alignment with the NHS 10 year plan, advocating for HEHPI to inform and shape national priorities.
• it was suggested to monitor attendance at the Community of Practice to assess engagement.
• the Committee discussed how the initiative could support communities directly, and recommended identifying areas where measurable impact could be demonstrated.
• emphasis was placed on ensuring the end user is well informed and that communications are accessible and inclusive.
• it was acknowledged that metrics for success may be challenging, but delivery should be the focus.
• the importance of robust evaluation of HEHPI to understand the impact of the Initiative was highlighted. Suggested measures of success were shared with a commitment to pursue an evaluation process.

25/064 A future update on progress and impact would be welcomed.

7. Public Policy Changes

25/065 The Director of Policy and Strategy gave a verbal update on the public policy changes in the space of health equity, and the NHS 10-year plan which was launched on 3rd July. The four key areas of focus are as follows:

• Improving Vaccine Access and Uptake in Children and Young People
• Community-Based Care and Investment.
• Halving the Healthy Life Expectancy Gap - This will inform a three-year strategy for UKHSA, with a clear role in mitigating health impacts.
• Digital Transformation - The Committee noted interest in local pilots and suggested producing examples to illustrate progress and impact.

25/066 The Committee noted that the DHSC Missions Board will lead this significant programme of work, with continued engagement expected across equity and corporate strategy. Engagement with the DHSC Sponsorship Team was ongoing.

25/067 The Committee recognised the NHS 10-Year Plan as an ambitious document and a positive step towards change that complements and supports UKHSA’s remit and role in the system.

8. Understanding equity challenges in the Adult Social Care Sector

25/068 [Title redacted] presented the paper (enclosure EEC/25/020) Understanding equity challenges in the Adult Social Care Sector. The discussion focused on preparedness, data infrastructure,  opportunities and the evolving policy landscape, including the forthcoming Exercise Pegasus and the Casey Review.

25/069 There was discussion regarding vaccination gaps in ASC and that vaccination in care homes has potential to protect quality of care by supporting continuity of care, as well as preventing ill health.

25/070 JCVI have been presented with the evidence for increasing eligibility for pneumococcal and RSV vaccinations in this cohort for consideration. The ASC dashboard is also being developed to support with understanding of the epidemiology of infectious diseases within care homes.

25/071 The Committee noted the progress, ambition and scope of the work in addressing health protection challenges and opportunities in the ASC sector

25/072 The discussion raised the following points:

• continued engagement with JCVI is essential.  It is important to strengthen vaccination campaigns and ensure the availability of more effective vaccines for this cohort.
• vaccination gaps exist among the ASC population.
• the committee discussed whether care homes are involved in working groups and asked about demographic changes, particularly among black and ethnic communities.
• the committee explored how to engage with the National Care Service. Occupational health was identified as key to effective health protection. Collaboration with policy colleagues on the Casey Review was advisable.
• feedback was provided on the NHS 10-year plan. It was emphasized the importance of clarifying how occupational health will be delivered in Adult Social Care and how care organisations will be integrated.
• module 6 of the Public Inquiry, focusing on Adult Social Care, was discussed. Lessons identified should inform UKHSA’s leadership role in the care environment.
• It was recommended that it is important to explore unintended consequences of outbreak control measures in the care sector and the ASC team is looking to commission research into this.

25/073 The Board welcomed the update and suggested returning to ensure care sector voices are heard. This will inform discussions with both the Advisory Board and ExCo.

9. Forward look and topics for future meetings

25/074 The Equalities, Ethics and Communities Committee noted the Forward Look (enclosure EEC/25/022).

25/075 It was recommended that the NHS 10 year plan should be added as a topic for the next meeting.

25/076 The committee advised it would be preferable to change the date of the next meeting from 7 October due to ongoing commitments with Exercise Pegasus. The Secretariat would look at alternative dates and reschedule in November if possible.

10. Any other business and close

25/077 The Committee noted the Health Equity Board update (enclosure EEC/25/023).  This paper would need further discussion in relation to the urgency, responsiveness, and timing of the topics discussed.

25/078 The Committee thanked Leonora Weil for her contribution as interim Deputy Director, Health Equity & Inclusion Health to date on the Equalities, Ethics and Communities Committee.  Catherine Falconer, would return in September with Leonora continuing in a new role within UKHSA.

25/079 The meeting closed at 3:36 pm.