15 Include not exclude
Matter for discussion submitted by the RCN Health Visitors and Public Health Forum
That this meeting of RCN Congress discusses how best to provide health care, and facilitate access to it, for people who are not registered with GPs
- Work led by the Public Policy Committee
- Lead RCN Council member: Andrea Spyropoulos
At Congress 2007, delegates spoke about the number of people, including children in care and the homeless, who were excluded from health care, and highlighted the health inequalities that exist in our society.
Early in 2007 the new Secretary for State for Health, Alan Johnson, announced that the government would be increasing its focus on reducing health inequalities – a commitment that was confirmed at the 2007 Labour Party conference.
One of the key factors that will drive down inequalities and improve the health of the public is access to health care services located close to where people live and work, that are easily accessible, freely available, and meet the needs of the diverse population of the UK. However, there are still groups in the population who continue to find it difficult to access the health care they need. Referred to as 'hard to reach' groups, they may not be easily to identify, may be itinerant, or unable to get onto a GP list.
The RCN has been a member of a key stakeholder group during the development and implementation of the Family Nurse Partnership project in England. This nurse-led health parenting project, based on an American model, aims to enable health visitors and midwives at 10 pilot sites across England to target their services at young first-time mothers with an intense programme of visiting and parental support.
Earlier this year, the National Social Inclusion Programme (NSIP) published its Capabilities for inclusive practice. The RCN was involved in the development of the framework and has now agreed to produce guidance for its own members; there will be a fringe event at Congress 2008 for members wishing to network with other like minded colleagues, and get involved in the development of this guidance.
The RCN has contributed to a wide range of NICE public health topics, most recently the intervention guidance 'proactive case finding and retention and improving services in disadvantaged areas'. The RCN continues to develop resources for members, activists and nurses that support their work with patients, the public and members and raise awareness of, and working with, various diversity issues.
Partnerships with other key stakeholder organisations have been created, most notably the Queens Nursing Institute which is leading a project focusing on the health needs of the homeless and has created a network of nurses who work with homeless people, families and communities. The RCN will continue to work in partnership with governments across the UK to influence policy development and provide evidence for health committee enquiries, with particular emphasis on reducing health inequalities.