Health Justice Partnerships Tackle the Wider Determinants of Health

Many people with complex health conditions or mental health needs face barriers to accessing free legal advice despite evidence that unresolved legal issues can directly affect health and wellbeing. There is growing recognition that healthcare providers cannot address poor health outcomes without tackling underlying social and economic problems such as debt, housing and welfare. 

Health Justice Partnerships are innovative collaborations between health services and organisations providing social welfare advice that offer joined up approaches to providing care and support to people in need. 

We share some key findings from our funded partners: 

Partnerships can operate across: 

• GP surgeries and primary care settings 
• Hospitals and specialist clinical services 
• Mental health services and psychiatric wards 
• Cancer care services in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support 
• Maternity and perinatal services 

This diversity suggests that these partnerships are adaptable and can be tailored to different health conditions, communities and service settings. 

One of the clearest benefits is increased household income and improved financial security. Health justice partnerships tackle poverty and financial hardship – key determinants of overall health.

• Central England Law Centre’s Health Justice Partnership generated over £1 million in annualised financial gains 
• Citizens Advice Central Dorset reported over £542,000 in financial gains for patients supported through GP surgeries 
• Citizens Advice Worcester and Herefordshire secured over £3.6 million in financial gains in a single year 

Many beneficiaries are people who would not otherwise access advice services. The most effective partnerships remove these barriers by locating advice where people already receive healthcare. Several organisations describe advisers being embedded in wards, in hospices, cancer centres, GP practices and community health settings. This creates earlier intervention opportunities and reaches people at moments of critical need. 

The evidence suggests that this approach does more than improve legal outcomes it supports healthcare services by addressing non-medical problems that affect health and recovery. 

Partners report: 

• Reduced pressures on clinical staff 
• Better discharge planning 
• Increased understanding among healthcare professionals of welfare and legal issues 
• Evidence of reduced GP demand following intervention

This reflects a growing recognition that healthcare providers cannot address poor health outcomes without tackling underlying social and economic problems.