This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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‘Fair for All’ approach to healthcare
28/02/2003
A new partnership with the Disability Rights Commission
is to ensure that NHSScotland develops a more coherent
approach to meeting the needs of disabled people.
This follows the success of a targeted programme of
work, developed in partnership with the Commission for
Racial Equality - meeting the distinctive health needs of
ethnic minority communities.
Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm said:
"It is fitting in this European Year of Disabled People
that the Health White Paper, should commit us to developing
our 'Fair for All' approach to ensure equity of access to
high quality healthcare for people with physical or sensory
impairment.
"'Fair for All', a targeted programme of work, developed
in partnership with the Commission for Racial Equality, has
already begun to improve the way NHSScotland meets the
distinctive health needs of individuals and families from
ethnic minority communities. The success of this approach
is that it actively empowers NHS staff to sensitively meet
the distinctive needs of the individuals they care for,
whatever their background or culture.
"By reaffirming our commitment to delivering a
patient-centred NHS Service, 'Partnership for Care' commits
us to providing healthcare which is fair for all and
dedicated to serving each patient's distinctive needs. An
NHS where patients' and carers' views are actively sought,
listened to and acted on. An NHS which supports and
empowers patients to increase control over and improve
their own health, and an NHS where clinicians and
professionals work in partnership with patients and carers
to understand their condition and help them make decisions
about the right treatment and care for them.
"Developing a patient focus in the delivery of health
care involves a recognition of the diversity of patient
needs and preferences. Clearly needs are likely to vary
according to age, gender, disability, ethnicity, religion,
culture and a wide range of other factors. A
patient-focused health organisation will be aware of these
and responsive to them.
"The Conference we are staging with the Disability
Rights Commission in Stirling today is an important part of
that work and launches a new partnership that will ensure
health professionals are supported to respond sensitively
to the individual needs of people with physical or sensory
impairments.
Disability Rights Commission Director for Scotland Bob
Benson said:
"We are pleased about the commitment from the Scottish
Executive and the NHS to taking forward improvements to
ensure that the needs of disabled people are built into the
planning for better accessibility to health service
provision across Scotland.
"The Disability Rights Commission commends the
Executive's approach to partnership working particularly
their commitment to the involvement of disabled people
working to improve services.
The Conference 'Improving Disabled People's Access to
Health Provision' is being held in Stirling Management
Centre on Friday 28 February 2003.
Sponsored by the Executive, the Disability Rights
Commission and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland, it seeks
to support local health services in considering how they
currently provide services to disabled people, and how they
can ensure that they meet the good practice standards for
this key patient group.
While piloted as a method of improving the way in which
NHSScotland meets the needs of individuals and family
groups from ethnic minority communities, the Fair for All
approach is not restricted to dealing with issues of
ethnicity.
The Fair for All principles, which the Health White
Paper, Partnership for Care extends across the NHS, seeks
to ensure that local health services recognise and respond
sensitively to the individual needs, background and
circumstances of people's lives.