Press Release December 2004
9th December 2004
“A fundamental problem with the Irish health service is that it is a service designed by settled people for settled people” said Mrs. Brigid Collins, a primary health care worker with Pavee Point Travellers Centre, speaking at the “Showcase” of the Traveller Health Unit in the Eastern Region this morning. She went on to say “This THU has been a place where we Travellers felt heard and respected and got support from the health boards. Our opinions counted and we were able to get important work carried out over the past few years. This work proves what Travellers always knew anyway, that we have been discriminated in the health service”
‘Use of Hospital Facilities by the Traveller Community’ shows that:
The majority of Travellers were not referred for Hospital Treatment except through A&E. 70% of Traveller patients accessed Out Patient Services through A&E as against 53% of settled patients. Only 20% of Traveller patients were referred from OPD to other clinical services as against 71% of settled patients.
‘Environmental Health Concerns of Travellers’ shows:
That there is no legislative or institutional framework in environmental health, which could improve the living conditions of Travellers on sites. The National Health Strategy and the Traveller Health Strategy recognise the impact of living conditions on health status.
‘Caring for Diversity’ shows:
A Traveller child is more likely to be taken into care than a settled child by a factor of 20. Social workers need to be trained in Traveller culture and anti-racism.
The Chairperson of the THU, Mr. Martin Rogan, Assistant CEO of the South Western Area Health Board, said “Our commitment to partnership is real - a Traveller representative is employed as co-ordinator of the Unit and a Traveller organisation has been given the role of providing all necessary support to the Unit. By having genuine Traveller involvement we are able to provide invaluable support to health board staff and facilitate them in deciding how best to deliver their service to the Traveller community.”
In launching the reports Ms. Ronnie Fay, Director of Pavee Point Travellers Centre, said “In the reform of the health service it is important that the expertise, capacity and track record of work within THU’s is recognised and taken account of and that Traveller health and the role of Travellers and Traveller organisations in the health service is given priority in any new structures which might emerge”
A report on the Activities of the THU over the past four years was also launched.
Further information Pavee Point Travellers Centre, 46 North Great Charles Street, Dublin 1. 01 8780255