Social Determinants of Health

This live 3-hour webinar for admin and reception staff introduces the concept of social determinants of health and shows how wider life circumstances influence people’s health, service access, and engagement with care. It helps staff develop a broader understanding of patient need and respond more empathetically.

Session overview

Many of the challenges patients face are shaped by factors beyond illness alone, including housing, employment, poverty, education, social isolation, and family circumstances. This session helps staff understand why some patients struggle to engage with services and how non-clinical teams can contribute to a more compassionate and informed approach.

Outline of the session

• What is meant by the social determinants of health
• How wider circumstances affect health outcomes and behaviour
• Why some patients find it harder to access care
• Recognising vulnerability and complexity without judgement
• Communicating with empathy and curiosity
• Supporting access and signposting to appropriate services
• The role of admin teams in reducing barriers to care
• Reflective case-based discussion from practice settings

Lecturer: Dr Andrew Papanikitas

Andrew is a GP, educator, and an academic in Oxford.  He has been the Deputy Editor of the British Journal of General Practice since 2022. He co-edited the BMA medical book award-winning Handbook of Primary Care Ethics (CRC press) and BMA Highly Commended Marketization, Health and Ethics (Routledge) in 2018, and has written undergraduate text books on clinical skills, child health as well as ethics and sociology for medical students. He is the co-convenor of the Society of Apothecaries’ diploma examination in philosophy. He volunteers with several local initiatives including the Oxford University Hospitals Ethical Advisory Group and the Magdalen College School medical careers programme.