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.