‘People are a lot more open minded and accepting of us’

Regional Traveller Health Action Plan launched

The launch of the Regional Traveller Health Action Plan took place in the Cavan Crystal Hotel last Tuesday (February 18). Members of the Travelling Community, representatives from the HSE, Cavan County Council and healthcare workers attended the event, which heard from people who are working on the ground with Travellers.

The plan aims to improve Traveller access to and participation in healthcare, address the social determinants of Traveller health and improve access to culturally appropriate primary health care. Stemming from the first National Traveller Health Action Plan, each community health care area created a detailed, regional implementation plan, which provides a mechanism for key partners to continue to prioritise the health of Travellers.

Speaking at the launch, Assistant Service Manager at Cavan Traveller Primary Health Care, Emily McCusker, said the plan outlines the “significant need” for cross agency and cross departmental collaboration in addressing “Traveller inequalities” across the network.

Despite “improvements” in Traveller health, she said “we still have progress to make”. Ms McCusker lists “discrimination, embarrassment, waiting lists, costs, difficulty getting to services, lack of cultural awareness” as “barriers” Travellers face in accessing health services.

“This regional plan is about highlighting the need and the urgency to address these obstacles, acknowledging that they are still occurring,” she said, adding that they are ready to “work together” to continue to improve health experiences for traveller people.

Speaking after the launch, Ms McCusker said suicide rates “haven’t come down” and are still six times higher than the general population and account for approximately 11% of all Traveller deaths. She observed that mental health is “really important” and claimed this plan will “make people more accountable”.

“It’s about knocking on the doors, knocking on all the important doors and services and saying ‘We’re here, we’ve as much right to be here and respected’.”

Primary Health Care Worker with Traveller Primary Healthcare Cavan, Marie Collins, joined the organisation for an “opportunity” to learn about health and to try to “improve” health among the Traveller community. “I really enjoyed getting out and meeting other women, we made good friends and became good co-workers. I really learned a lot about health and wellbeing and how we can help those who are unable to get help for themselves.”

In the job for the last 14 years, she said the role has given her “confidence” however she mentioned it was “hard at first” going out to families and building up trust.

“At the time Travellers weren’t comfortable approaching health services or were unsure how to access them, Travellers were also very nervous to go to health or medical appointments for the fear of not understanding what was being said, and the fear of not accepting that they may have a health problem.

“Thankfully services are changing to be more approachable and Traveller friendly.”

Ms Collins looks forward to seeing “more improvements and equality for Travellers” in the future.

Community Healthcare Worker with Traveller Primary Healthcare Cavan, Caroline Maughan, joined four years ago as a new mother. She finds her role “very interesting” and learned about the importance of “health, diet, exercise and heart health” and “childhood illnesses”.

“I am more aware of the services and supports available to the Travelling community and I have grown in confidence approaching those services, breaking down barriers and obstacles.

“I am very passionate to help improve mental health for Travellers and I feel it is so important that services are approachable and non-judgemental.”

Breaking Down Barriers

Born and reared in Bailieborough, Missy O’Leary also spoke in the Cavan Crystal Hotel as a member who has benefitted from the programme. Speaking to The Anglo-Celt afterwards, she described how she wished the services were available to her when she was a young girl. Growing up, Missy’s family was the only Traveller family in the town, which saw her become a target for derogatory comments.

“We would have needed them [services], there was nothing like that at all for Travellers, there was nothing.

“Being the only Travellers in the town, there was a lot of discrimination. I couldn’t walk to school without somebody saying something, throwing a name out there, derogatory of course.

“I grew up listening to that day in, day out, and it really really knocks your confidence,” she said, adding that on some days she didn’t want to leave her home because she knew she would get “abuse”.

“I didn’t choose to be born a Traveller; I didn’t do anything wrong to anybody. One does bad we all do bad you know?” she said, adding that all Travellers were “tarred with the same brush” dipped in “a lot of discrimination”.

Missy believes these experiences “definitely” affected her later in life, particularly her career as she was afraid to go for a job.

“They’ll hear my second name and that’ll be it,” she said, adding that it was “a real knock” to her confidence.

Thankfully, she is in “a good place now” and, despite seeing change in her local community, she says there is “a lot of work that needs to be done”. Her 16-year-old son does not go through what she would have experienced as a young girl.

“People are a lot more open minded and accepting of us.”

She began engaging with Traveller Primary Healthcare four years ago, when she found herself out of work and “feeling a bit miserable”.

“I went and I really, really enjoyed it. All the girls were brilliant, they welcomed us in straight away. I felt really good because it was other Travellers. We had nobody that we could relate to [before] so, with this group, it gave me that.”

She noticed her mental health improved “immensely” while her confidence has also benefited.

“It gives me purpose; it gives me something to look forward to.”