Consultation by: UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England
UKHSA and NHS England sought views to shape the next national action plan for Tuberculosis (TB) in England, focusing on prevention, detection, control, and workforce. Healthwatch Birmingham responded to emphasise the importance of patient involvement, accessible communication, and continued service quality.
Key Points from Our Response
Building on Previous Achievements:
We highlighted the importance of building on the TB communications toolkit and the use of high-quality data. We recommended greater public involvement in designing communication materials and suggested including patient experience data alongside epidemiological data.
Challenges in TB Control:
We noted the need for culturally appropriate and accessible messaging, especially in diverse cities like Birmingham. We emphasised the importance of engaging with communities, including those new to the UK, to identify and address barriers to accessing TB services.
Improving Prevention, Detection and Control:
We called for focused engagement with at-risk populations and pointed to findings from our report on health inequalities in the Somali community. We stressed the importance of trusted communication to counter disinformation and support informed health decisions.
Service Quality and Funding:
We reported positive feedback from TB service users in Birmingham and recommended protecting funding to maintain service quality. We also proposed that patient feedback be formally monitored in the next action plan to identify and address access barriers.
Final Thoughts
We encouraged the government to embed public involvement, cultural sensitivity, and patient feedback into the 2026–2031 action plan to improve outcomes and equity in TB services.