Bias You Can’t See, Outcomes You Can: Practical Solutions for Supporting Patients

Bias in a healthcare setting can have profound, often unseen, influences on patient–clinician interactions, clinical decision making and overall quality of care.^1,2 Naturally, humans unintentionally rely on mental shortcuts or stereotypes based on factors such past experiences, backgrounds or behaviours.³ These cognitive biases, rooted in learned associations and social norms, can affect how confidently patients share information openly, and how their concerns are then understood and treated in clinical settings.^1-3

In this Webinar, presented by Rachel Voller, we explored why identifying and addressing bias in healthcare is a fundamental step towards more equitable, compassionate care. Drawing on real patient experiences — including cases where individuals with respiratory, transplants and rare conditions were misjudged or misunderstood — this session highlighted the quiet but powerful impact that bias and stigma can have on health outcomes and patient engagement. Rachel closed the webinar by sharing practical tips on how healthcare professionals can create spaces where people feel safe, heard and supported to speak openly about their health.

References

1. Voller R. Addressing bias in healthcare to improve patient experience. Pract Nurse. 2021.

2. FitzGerald C, Hurst S. Implicit bias in healthcare professionals: a systematic review. BMC Med Ethics. 2017;18:19.

3. Nevada State College School of Nursing. Implicit bias in healthcare: how nurses can reduce it. 2022.

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• Rachel Voller

  Advanced Nurse Practitioner

  Read biography
  Rachel Voller

  Advanced Nurse Practitioner

  Role and Location:
  ANP Lead Nurse: Innovation, Long Term Conditions, Women’s Health

  Speaker Bio:

  Rachel Voller is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner with over 25 years of NHS experience. She specialises in long-term conditions, preventative care, and women’s health, with a strong focus on respiratory care. Rae holds a postgraduate diploma in mental health psychology and is committed to delivering holistic, patient-centred support, particularly for those living with respiratory conditions.

  As Project Manager for the COMET respiratory service on the Wirral, Rae leads programmes that provide early diagnosis and targeted management for patients with COPD following lung cancer screening. She is passionate about ensuring accurate, timely diagnoses and advocates for identifying the “missing millions” with undiagnosed disease.

  Rae is the Lead Nurse for Moreton and Meols and Wallasey Wellbeing PCN, where she drives the Respiratory Support Programme (ReSP), delivering asthma care in line with national guidelines. A national speaker and advocate, she sits on regional Asthma and COPD steering groups and is actively involved in lobbying national and local politicians to influence respiratory policy and improve outcomes at a population level.