A practice which has employed a homeless man as a community coordinator is one of many seeking novel solutions to health inequality, a conference has heard.

The novel approach in Frome, Somerset, was revealed yesterday by Royal College of GPs chair Professor Martin Marshall, speaking to the college’s annual conference in Liverpool.

The practice took the action after a member of staff struck up a conversation with the man on a park bench – and concluded he had “deep insight” into the local community. The approach is known as “outsiders as insiders,” Professor Marshall said. Professor Marshall promised more accounts of innovative work by practices.

He said that increasing numbers of practices are taking time to conduct systematic examination of social determinants of health “despite their massive workload.” In Edinburgh, the Craigmillar Deep End practice employed three new mental health practitioners after analysis showed it was not meeting the needs of deprived people with mental health problems. He also referred to the Hill Top practice, Oldham, which has designed a free patient-led transport service and deployed extra reminders for large numbers of patients failing to attend out-patient appointments, mostly from deprived neighbourhoods.

Professor Marshall said: “I’m seeing an increasing number of practices who regard this as a practical challenge, who despite their massive workload are making time to systematically examine the most important social determinants of health for their practice populations, who are utilising social interventions, addressing health inequalities and who are drawing on the assets that exist in their communities.”