HEALTH SERVICES are more effective in meeting people’s needs in disadvantaged areas when communities are involved in the design and delivery of healthcare, according to a new report.
Research by Combat Poverty, the Government’s advisory body on tackling deprivation, shows that community-led healthcare initiatives have helped to improve health outcomes and save the State money.
As part of its “building healthy communities” programme, Combat Poverty supported 10 projects aimed at promoting the right of communities to influence and participate in health policy and practice.
Six of the projects worked with marginalised groups with a common health issue, such as the deaf community or women with mental illness. The remaining projects worked in areas where poverty levels remain high, such as Fettercairn in Tallaght.
Speaking at the launch of a report on the programme, Jim Walsh of Combat Poverty said the positive results were hugely encouraging. One of the main benefits was that groups were able to access services or information that had the capacity to improve their health outcomes.
“For instance, in the case of the project operated through the Irish Deaf Society, women in the deaf community were provided with information on breast-screening through sign language.
“This, in turn, improved their take-up of screening and resulted – in some cases – in early detection of breast cancer, which otherwise may have gone unnoticed until a later stage.”
In the case of Fettercairn, he said the health needs of the local community were assessed and primary health care services were improved.
“The bottom line for the Fettercairn community is that they can now access a range of community-based services within the locality, which results in early diagnosis and interventions and ultimately means that less pressure is placed on tertiary health services,” Mr Walsh said.
The report suggests that community-led healthcare initiatives can play a key role in ensuring there is greater value for money in delivering health services into the future.