Pavee Point Traveller & Roma Centre welcomes today the long- awaited publication of the National Traveller Health Action Plan.
Pavee Point, alongside other Traveller organisations, has been actively advocating for a National Traveller Health Action plan over the last 12 years and we believe it is vital in order to address Traveller health inequalities.
“This is a very important plan,” said Mary Brigid Collins, Pavee Point Traveller Primary Health Care Project. “Travellers, Traveller organisations and Primary Health Care Projects around the country have worked very hard with the HSE to ensure that this plan has the potential to bring about real positive change for our community.
“This plan is important because it acknowledges the systemic racism and discrimination that has existed for years, it acknowledges the social determinants of health – education, employment and accommodation – and commits to strengthening partnership working between the HSE, Traveller Health Units and local Traveller organisations/Traveller Primary Health Care Projects in the design and delivery of health services.”
Health Information
“Traveller Primary Health Care Projects are the primary source, or often the only source, of information when it comes to health information for Travellers. They bridge the gap between the community, who are facing high health inequalities, and a health service unable to reach and engage in a culturally appropriate manner.
“This approach has been proved time and time again to work, for example, in evidence of higher uptake in screening, antenatal care and immunisation. We also know that 86% of Travellers accessed health information from these projects during COVID-19.”
“But the projects need to be adequately resourced, valued and given parity with HSE colleagues.”
Data on Ethnicity
The new plan also commits to the implementation of an ethnic identifier, which is already government policy, and something Pavee Point sees as crucial to the success of the plan.
“How can we monitor progress if we don’t have the data? How can we identify where gaps in services exist, if we don’t have data?” said Mary Brigid.
“This plan is clear. It sets out what has to happen, how that should happen and what the impact will be. What we need to do now is make sure that it does happen.
Implementation and Funding
“We will need strong implementation measures with the involvement of high level decision-makers working in partnership with all key stakeholders – Travellers, Traveller Health Units and local Traveller organisations/ Traveller Primary Health Care Projects. And funding will be vital to the success of the Plan.
