Technical Report - Donegal Traveller's Project

Health Survey FindingsThe terms of reference for THAC included drawing up a national policy for a health strategy to improvethe health status of the Traveller community. The document, Traveller Health: A National Strategy 2002– 2005 (Department of Health and Children, 2002) sets out a response to the inequities identified inTraveller health status. Also in 1998 a specific ‘Traveller health budget’ was allocated to each of thehealth boards to develop Traveller health initiatives and to establish regional THUs. THUs now operate ineach HSE area and work in partnership with local Traveller organisations.This group was responsible for the development of the Traveller Health Strategy and one of the keyrecommendations in the strategy was this All Ireland Traveller Health Study. The THAC oversaw thetendering process and played a monitoring role in relation to the implementation of the study.Traveller Health Units (THUs)The terms of reference of the THUs are as follows:• To monitor the delivery of health services to Travellers and to set regional targets against whichperformance may be measured.• To ensure that Traveller health is given due prominence on the agenda of the HSE.• To ensure coordination and liaison between the HSE and other statutory and voluntary bodies, inrelation to the health situation of Travellers.• To collect data on Traveller health and utilisation of health services.• To ensure the appropriate training of health service providers in terms of their understanding of andrelationship with Travellers.• To support the development of Traveller-specific services, either directly by the HSE or indirectlythrough funding appropriate voluntary organisations.National Traveller Health Network (NTHN)The Pavee Point health team established the National Traveller Health Network (NTHN) in 1997and have coordinated its activities since then as a forum for training, representation, feedback andinformation exchange for Traveller groups involved in Traveller health. The NTHN is an essential forumthrough which Traveller organisations share their learning experiences, discuss common issues thataffect them and familiarise themselves with new developments in relation to Traveller health. Thenational Traveller organisations also use it as a mechanism to develop a mandate, receive support andprovide feedback and information from the National Traveller Health Advisory Committee.At regional level, co-terminus with the existing THU regions, there are Regional Traveller HealthNetworks.35