Access and barriers to services
- 2. Inadequate resources Lack of: Funding Staff Equipment Lack of the above can lead to delays in receiving treatment
- 3. Examples of inadequate resources causing delays: Not enough care home places so elderly people have to wait Hospital doesn’t have a scanner so patients have to travel Wards closed due to lack of staff so waiting lists longer
- 4. Overcome barrier of inadequate resources by increasing funding, e.g. Increase local taxes Social services budgets NHS funding Increase national taxation – alcohol, cigarettes, petrol etc.
- 5. Funding not always the answer: May not be enough suitably trained staff to employ even if the funding to do so is available, e.g. no consultants or specialist nurse practitioners around to employ then remains an inadequate resource! Overcome this by: providing more training places at universities Improving working conditions, e.g. pay Encouraging people to enter health and care professions
- 6. Physical difficulties People may find it difficult to get to services: May work away from home Opening times may not fit in with working hours Live in rural areas – no car, can’t drive, no public transport Elderly and/or disabled may find travelling difficult due to transport not being adapted to their needs.
- 7. Overcome physical barriers by: Having NHS walk-in health centres where appointments are not necessary Extended opening hours Community transport to hospital, GP appointments, day centres and so on Provide home visits for some clients, e.g. community nurses
- 8. Communication Speak different language Deafness Blindness Illiteracy Overcome barriers by Multi language leaflets and information sheets Hearing loops Braille Signers Advocates
- 9. Ignorance This means lack of knowledge about the service. May be: Don’t know the service exists Don’t know how to access the service Don’t know that they have the right to the service Overcome this barrier by providing information: Advertising in newspapers or on TV Leaflet distribution to houses or in health centres