Battling inequalities top priority for juniors

19 April 2010

TACKLING health inequalities should be a top priority, according to a group of trainee doctors.

The BMA’s junior members’ forum highlighted the challenges of treating diverse communities – including patients who don’t speak English, the homeless and sex workers.

They said doctors needed better support in the form of foreign language classes as well as advice on how to deal with groups such as the homeless. Doctors said primary care organisations (PCOs) should determine the extent of homelessness in their areas and assess their health needs to commission specialist primary care and support services.

The delegates also agreed the BMA should lobby the appropriate agencies to meet the needs of sex workers by promoting good sexual health and increasing the availability of sexual health screening. They added that trafficking, sexual violence and poverty forced many women into sex work and that action was needed to tackle these issues.

They also said the BMA should research factors affecting access to primary health care services across different socio-economic groups. London GP Amy Small said: “To simply plough money into services is not good enough if we are really not sure how people are accessing them.”

The ideas were discussed at the BMA’s annual junior members’ forum in Newcastle on March 27 and 28. The informal event allows junior doctors to offer constructive criticism and discuss new ideas.