About this action

Structural competence helps staff understand how poverty, housing, immigration systems and other social structures create ill health. This shifts focus from individual behaviour to addressing the conditions that constrain patient choices. Approaches to implementation: - Start with practical examples of how social structures affect health in your area - Include both clinical and non-clinical staff in training sessions - Teach staff to ask "what's happening to you?" not just "what's wrong with you?" - Provide tools for documenting and responding to structural vulnerabilities - Link training to practical changes in practice systems and processes Key benefits: Reduces victim-blaming approaches that stigmatise and alienate vulnerable patients, improves ability of staff to address root causes not just symptoms, and positions the practice as understanding and responsive to social determinants of health.