Primary Health Care for Travellers Project (PHCTP)
The Pavee Point Primary Health Care for Travellers Project (PHCTP) was the first time Travellers went out into the Traveller Community with the aim to identify the health needs of Travellers. The Project began as a pilot initiative in October 1994. Since then the project has been replicated and approximately 27 Traveller Primary Health Care Projects are in operation around the country.
Our Objectives:
- To establish Primary Health Care as a Model of Good Practice to address Travellers’ Health.
- To develop the skills of Travellers in providing community based health services.
- To liaise and assist in dialogue between Travellers and health service providers.
- To highlight gaps in health service delivery to Travellers and work towards reducing inequalities that exists in established services.
Our Project:
Our project consists of 16 Traveller women who work with approximately 300 Traveller families in North Dublin. The workers take a two prong approach – working to raise awareness on a variety of health issues within the community and working with service providers to highlight the barriers to equal health outcomes that may exist for Travellers.
Highlights of Our Work:
- Raising awareness on health issues in the community
- Working with service providers
- Research
- Representation
Awards
- Animate Award for Maternal Health Initiative, 2017
- European Union Health Award for Vaccination Awareness Initiative, 2017
- National Adult Literacy Association (NALA) ‘Plain English Award’ for Public Health Information, 2017
- Traveller Pride Award for Enterprise & Employment and overall Traveller Pride Award, 2014
- Guinness Living in Dublin Award for Community Development, 2001
- World Health Organisation 50th Anniversary Commemorative Certificate, 2001
Contact the Primary Health Care Traveller Project (PHCTP)
- Co-ordinators – marybrigid.collins@pavee.ie and rebecca.gorman@pavee.ie.