Unlocking health inequalities: explore our free learning module

These monthly blog posts by the Public Mental Health Implementation Centre (PMHIC), 'Perspectives on public mental health', aim to highlight the voices of practitioners, patients, carers, and public health experts.

Welcome to this month’s blog post, in which the PMHIC research team introduce a new free CPD eLearning module of learning content on health inequalities, kindly funded for development by NHS England, authored by PMHIC and available on the RCPsych eLearning Hub.

The PMHIC are delighted to announce the launch of a free CPD eLearning module on Health Inequalities.

This continuous professional development (CPD) module is aimed at UK-based and international psychiatrists, and at the wider public mental health workforce (including clinicians, allied health professionals, community-based organisations and policy makers). The module takes about 150 minutes to complete, and contributes 2.5 credits through its four core sections:

1. Overview of inequalities
2. Marginalisation (including stigma, discrimination, and racism)
3. Physical and mental health
4. Trauma-informed approaches

The Health inequalities module content is interactive, with a range of different learning activities. it also links to a free-to-access 45-minute CPD eLearning podcast on Equity versus Equality with Professor Sir Michael Marmot and Dr Amrit Sachar, also kindly funded for development by NHS England, and an applied case study on domestic violence and abuse co-produced with experts by lived and learned experience.  

"The power of the eLearning Module rests on the public health evidence base in which it is deeply rooted. It provides psychiatrists and other practitioners with the knowledge-based schema, techniques, skills and confidence to improve public health and resolve health inequalities. My two excellent fellow lived experience representatives and I were involved in creating content, critiquing and sense-checking the developing module throughout. This is a living evidence- and experience-based eLearning resource that makes practice real."

Sarah Markham, Expert by Experience

The module is a taster of a series of six modules in the Public Mental Health Leadership Certification Course, which will launch in Spring 2024. The Leadership Certification Course provides comprehensive training in public mental health. It aims to:

• Enhance the knowledge of and skills in public mental health for psychiatrists and the wider public mental health workforce. 
• Develop a culture change, from an individualised model of clinical psychiatry to a population-based preventative public health approach. 
• Create local champions of public mental health, and empower them to know and best support their local population’s met and unmet needs. 

This Certification Course has been developed by the PMHIC with leading expert in public mental health and Course Director, Dr Jude Stansfield.

“Widening social inequalities and the complexities of societal changes are leading to increased inequities in population mental health. Multi-disciplinary collaboration is required to tackle the root causes and create mentally flourishing communities. We hope the course will stimulate reflection and action among psychiatrists and others, in their Public Mental Health leadership and everyday practice.” 

Jude Stansfield, Researcher at Leeds Beckett University

For more information and to register your interest in the Public Mental Health Leadership Certification Course, please visit RCPsych Certification Courses.