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Olubukola Ayodele: Honoured to join Stakeholders and Champions of Health Equity at HSJ Forum

Olubukola Ayodele/LinkedIn

May 21, 2025, 11:47

Olubukola Ayodele: Honoured to join Stakeholders and Champions of Health Equity at HSJ Forum

Olubukola Ayodele, Consultant Medical Oncologist at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“It was a great honour to join stakeholders and champions of health equity at the Health Service Journal HSJ Reducing Health Inequalities Forum in Birmingham on May 19th.

I had the pleasure of participating in a plenary panel that focused on closing the cancer care gap. We discussed long-term funding, adaptable models, and targeted, community-led solutions, alongside Salma Reehana and Naser Turabi. Drawing from my experience working in four distinct health systems, I shared my unique perspective that while the faces of inequity differ, the root causes remain constant.

These issues stem from marginalization, underrepresentation, and a failure to tailor care for diverse communities. Equity doesn’t happen by default; it must be designed. I emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration among NHS Trusts, public health bodies, community organizations, charities, and research institutions.

I strongly advocated for establishing an independent body to track and report on progress toward cancer equity goals within the NHS’s 10-year plan. Without measurement, we cannot manage change.

Team University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust was well represented, with Ruw Abeyratne discussing the significance of precision data and the need for disaggregating available data, as well as balancing quantitative and qualitative information.

Professor Sir Michael Marmot addressed how health follows a social gradient, emphasizing that the UK is not a good place to be poor. What resonated with me most was his call to “Tell the Truth,” “Argue from the Evidence,” and “Engage in the Discussion about Social Justice.”

Prof Habib Naqvi MBE and Prof. Kevin Fenton CBE highlighted the dangers of structural racism and the urgent need to dismantle it.

The highlight of the event was the closing keynote by Prof. Bola Owolabi, who spoke about the strength of partnerships. I’ve never witnessed such significant progress achieved in just four years. She always speaks from the heart and is a true force of nature—a visionary leader who has transformed the narrative surrounding health inequalities.

She has inspired a generation of us to do more, be bolder, and push harder. Her work is not merely theoretical; it represents tangible progress, system-shifting action, and hope in motion. Although she will be missed, as she told me, “I am still in the health inequalities space, just with a different hat.”

It was great to meet Lauren Watts an oncology resident with so much passion for health equity.

The energy in the room was palpable, with everyone leaving determined to take action. I look forward to next year’s event to showcase the tangible efforts we have achieved. Tackling health inequalities is not a niche concern or an optional extra; it is the moral, clinical, and economic imperative of our time.”

More posts featuring Olubukola Ayodele.

Birmingham Bola Owolabi cancer cancer care Cancer Equity fight against cancer Global fight against cancer Habib Naqvi Health Service Journal HSJ Forum Kevin Fenton Lauren Watts Michael Marmot Naser Turabi NHS Trusts Olubukola Ayodele OncoDaily Oncology Ruw Abeyratne Salma Reehana University Hospitals of Leicester

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