National Traveller Health Strategy (NTHS) 2002
National Traveller Health Strategy (NTHS) 2002In 1995, it was recommended that, due to the unacceptably low health status of Irish Travellers, the Government implement a National Traveller Health Strategy. This strategy was published in February 2002.
In the same time span there were two national strategies published for the majority population.
Key Principles
Travellers acknowledged as minority ethnic group
Acknowledges Traveller culture and identity and states:
We must be prepared to ensure health services are responsive to Travellers, especially in terms of their nomadic lifestyle
Acknowledges impact of racism, poverty and the environment on Traveller health status
Defines equity as equal opportunity for optimum health not just equal access to existing services
Promotes positive action/targeting
Traveller participation
Sets minimum standards that have to be met by health agencies in terms of Traveller health
Framework for Implementation
National Traveller Health Advisory Committee Department of Health and Children
This Committee will monitor the implementation of the Strategy.
Traveller Health Units-Regional Partnerships
These will implement the Strategy at regional level.
The Traveller Health Units (THU) must produce action plan within 6 months of the announcement of the Strategy (Feb. 2002).
These plans will operate for 3 years
- The THU will Traveller Proof service plans
- The THU will develop partnerships with Traveller organisations
- The THU will fund health work with Traveller organisations
- The THU will liaise with THUs in other Health Board Areas
The THU will produce annual reports with details of activities and finances
Traveller Primary Health Care Projects
These projects facilitate Travellers to become Community Health Care Workers within their own community. Within these projects Travellers engage in health promotion and health education, liaison work with local health service providers, representational work and in-service training for health professionals.
The Strategy states there should be Traveller Primary Health Care Projects in all Health Board areas by 2005.
Some Specific Areas and Actions
Dental Services
Actions
A designated liaison person in terms of Travellers
Travellers continue to be designated as a Special Needs Group
Special family clinics to be promoted
A baseline survey before end of 2002
GP Services
Actions
- Annual report by Health Boards on Traveller access to GPs
- GMS limit circumstances in which GPs can refuse to register Travellers
Public Health Nurses
Actions
- Designated Public Health Nurses for Travellers
- Caseload of 150 families only
- Travellers identified as special needs group
- Special family Clinics
Womens health
Actions
Health education programmes for Travellers will highlight the relevance of proper ante-natal and post-natal care.
The Maternity and Infant Care Scheme will be promoted to encourage earlier ante-natal registration
Liaison between maternity units and Designated Public Health Nurses will be improved to ensure early identification of Traveller mothers, and better follow up.
The need for special tests such as the Guthrie test and Butchler test will be adequately explained to Traveller mothers in the ant-natal period.
Mens health
Actions
Identify mens health needs in study
Violence against women
Actions
Access to womens refuges to be monitored to ensure no barriers for Travellers
Research to include Travellers
Traveller organisations will be funded to train and employ Traveller women as refuge workers and counsellors
Initiatives to work with Traveller men perpetrating violence will be supported
(speech and language, psychology, audiology)
Focus on ophthalmic/aural services
Hospital services
Actions
- Identification of Travellers on hospital systems
- Cultural awareness training for staff
- Traveller liaison person
Mental health services
- Working group on mental health services
- Training in Traveller identity and culture to mental health service providers
Physical disability
Actions
Supporting Travellers with a disability to live with their families
Childcare and family support services
Actions
Department of Health and Children to examine the implications of providing a designated Social Work Service for Travellers
Culturally appropriate preventative services such as youth projects, family support projects and parenting courses should be provided
Recommendations of Working Group on Foster Care to be implemented as soon as possible
Ethnic identifier on childcare and fostering records
Recommendations from Easter Region Traveller Health Unit research into Travellers in care to be looked at
Older people
Actions
Each Health Board to develop age profile of its local Traveller population
Older Travellers to be identified on all health record systems
Care of older Travellers to be part of caseload for Designated Public Health Nurses for Travellers
Alcohol and other substance abuse
Actions
Inclusion in alcohol and drugs initiatives
Consanguinity and genetic counselling
Actions
Department of Health and Children will take account of findings of Traveller Consanguinity Working Group
Look at making genetic screening and counselling available
Vigorous efforts to ensure Traveller babies receive full range of neonatal metabolic screening
Attention to nutrition as it relates to treatment of metabolic disorders
Health promotion
Actions
Health Boards will ensure that health promotion programmes are culturally sensitive and appropriate to Travellers
Traveller representatives to join National Health Promotion Forum
Health Boards to Traveller Proof existing health promotion programmes
Inform settled community of the detrimental impact which living circumstances and ongoing discrimination have on Travellers lives
Peer led services
Actions
Peer-led educational and awareness programmes on family planning and sexual health should be considered by Health Boards
Patient held records
Actions
A Working Group within the Department of Health and Children to be established to draft content and agree design of a durable and user friendly patient and family held record to be used by all Health Boards
Traveller health statistics
Actions
A pilot in 2002 to collect information on ethnicity from the Hospital Inpatient Enquiry and Perinatal Systems
A Traveller Needs Assessment and Health Status Study to be carried out
Working Group on Traveller Ethics and Research to be established
Funding for Implementation
- Programme for Prosperity and Fairness agrees 6m by 2003 for Traveller health
- 8,253,298 between 2002 2005 for implementation of NTHS from Department of Health and Children
- Up to 10% of Traveller Health Unit budgets to go to health work carried out by Traveller organisations
If you would like to order a copy of the National Traveller Health
Strategy 2002-2005 please contact Mary Dowling at the Department of
Health and Children.
Tel: 00 353 01 6354114.
Or download from
www.dohc.ie/
publications/traveller_health_a_national_strategy_2002_2005.html