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National Traveller Health Action Plan Launched
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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.”
“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.
Traveller poet Helen Hutchinson and Mary O Malley, HSE Mid West Social Inclusion.
“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.
Traveller representatives and Minister of State for Social Inclusion at the Department of Health Frank Feighan
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.
Martina Queally, Chief Officer, HSE Community Healthcare East and Chairperson of the National Traveller Health Action Plan Steering Group.
“We
welcome the ringfenced €1.3 million allocated to the implementation of this
plan this year. This is the first time since 2008 that Traveller health has
received any new development funding. However, ongoing significant investment and
resources is required if we are to seriously address Traveller health
inequalities once and for all.
“Traveller health is a human rights issue. Inequalities are about how our systems are designed and delivered and this plan gives us a chance to significantly improve our human rights record on Travellers.”
Link to full plan – https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/publications/socialinclusion/national-traveller-health-action-plan-2022-2027.pdf
Also see Pavee Point briefing on National Traveller Health Action Plan – https://www.paveepoint.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/NTHAP_Briefing_Final_28November-2022.pdf
