· Professional referral – A person is put in contact with the service by a care practitioner such as a social worker, doctor or a nurse.

· Self-referral – A person chooses to go there themselves

· Third party referral – A person is put in contact with the service by a friend, relative or neighbour

How could these barriers be overcome?

Physical - Disabilities, sight and hearing.

Psychological barriers

Why might someone be frightened to visit their general practitioner?

·Worried about results

·Nervous

·Insecurities

·Worrying about what other people might say

·Thinking of the long term problem

·Embarrassment

·Prejudice

· Religion

·Results

·Scared

·No family support

·Misunderstood

·Anxiety

·Frightened of diagnosis

· Might not like their General Practitioner

·General practitioner may be from a different culture

· People with mental health problems may not realise they need treatment

·Want to see a General Practitioner of the same sex but is unavailable

·Men find it “unmanly” and is less likely to go to the doctors

·Phobias of needles or hospitals

·Some people may be too proud to go to the doctors

·Stigma to illnesses

·Don’t want time off from work

How can you overcome these barriers?

· Friendly staff

·Do research on illness

·Ask for sick leave if needed

·See therapists to help with mental health problems

·Ask to change General Practitioner

·Ask for options

·Have someone come with you if you don’t want to go alone

·Ask for appointments outside of work

·Make sure General Practitioners know how to communicate effectively

· Advocate services

·Find out what could happen before they go to the doctors

·Promotions, raise awareness and possibly change attitudes

·Confidentiality and privacy policy

·Home visits

·Have your General Practitioners talk to relatives

·Allow friends and family to attend General Practitioner surgery

Financial barriers

·Unable to use health/social care or early years’ service because of lack of money

·Not everybody can afford private health care

·Cost of travel may be expensive if someone lives a long distance from health services

·May need to pay for certain drugs that are not available on the NHS

·Cost of prescriptions

·dental care

·ambulance fees

·eye checks

· maternity leave/pregnancy

·Many people are unable to afford private nursery (only fifteen hours) a week and one year prior to starting school

·Parking at hospitals

How could it be overcome?

·         If you live far away you can get taxi’s to take you to and from the hospital you need to go to

·         Bus pass

·         Voluntary drivers

·         Drop costs of parking

·         Hospital waiting lists

·         Get money back for fares

·         Cheaper prescriptions

·         Make more drugs available on the NHs

·         Transport vouchers for appointments

·         Free bus service

·         Free parking

·         Reduce hospital waiting lists

·         Reduce GP waiting lists

Geographical barriers

· Level of services depend on where you live

·Postcode lottery

·Other countries do not have the NHS

·Transport can be expensive

·Rural areas lack facilities

How to overcome this

·Provision of more services

·Have continuity of services across areas

·Outreach workers

·Better and cheaper transport

Cultural and language barriers

· People who do not speak English as their first language may be reluctant to use the service

· Not having professionals as the same sex

· Written information not provided in the same language

·Not knowing what is available because you don’t know the same language

· Some treatments are unacceptable to some cultures (and religions) e.g. blood transfusions        

Equality Act 2010
Key features of the act

-          Gives more power to employment tribunals who can now recommend changes in a work place for all employees as well as the person who bought the case.

-          You can make county court claims if you are discriminated against when buying goods or getting services.

-          You can also get support and advice  from the equality and human rights commission : www.equalityhumanrights.com

-          Established government equalities office website: www.equalities.gov.uk

-          ACAS (Advisory, conciliation and arbitration service) can also provide support: www.acas.org.uk

-          You can also visit Citizens Advice Bureau

Strengths

-          Helps raise awareness

-          Gives people more rights

-          More opportunities to women and men in society

-          Closed pay differentials to an extent

-          More equality in terms of job opportunities

-          High profile cases have been won and made employees think differently

-          School curriculum more equality and encouragement to partake in range of subjects

-          System of redress/support

-          Helped reduce a range of discrimination

-          Activity of commission supports people

Weakness

-          Legislation alone does not reduce discrimination it still exists - need to work harder at changing attitudes.

-          More emphasis needed within education, advertising, media etc. to improve role models and reduce stereo types.

-          Difficult to police the amount of discrimination occurring and hard to prove.

-          Top positions often still held by men

-          Gender stereotyping still very influential e.g. influence of the family/media

-          Cost & emotional stress and time to take cases to court.

-          Many people are unaware of their rights

-          Fear of victimisation

-          Case law

Equality Act 2010

Strengths and Weaknesses.

Key acts

·         Give more power to employment tribunals who can now recommend changes in a work place for all employees as well as the person who bought the case. 

·         You can make a county court claim(s) if you are discriminated against when buying goods or getting services. 

·         You can also get support and advice from the Equality and Human Rights Commission www.equalityhumanrights.com

·         Established Government Equalities Office website: www.equalities.gov.uk

·         You can also visit Citizens Advice Bureau

Equality Act

Key Acts.