Welcome to EquIP Cymru
This website has been developed for patients and professionals
interested in disability equality for primary care. It has been
designed with the needs of disabled people in mind. We hope that
you will find it useful and easy to use. If you cannot find the
answer to your question here, please try some of the links to other
sites, which may provide the information you require.
We know from the recent Disability Rights Commission''s (DRC)
formal investigation that disabled people often have a greater need
for primary care than others; they are often our least well
patients, and generally live shorter lives. Yet in the past, they
were the ones who had the most difficulty accessing appropriate
services. The vast majority of them are loyal and patient patients.
It is now time to improve things for them.
EquIP Cymru is a collection of groups concerned with
disabilities in Wales. It is professionally led by RCGP Wales, with
full support from GPC Wales. It includes RNID Cymru, RNIB Cymru,
MIND Cymru, Mencap Cymru, Disability Wales, the Disability Rights
Commission, the NHS Centre for Equality and Human Rights, the Wales
Centre for Health, and the Welsh Assembly Government.
We know that there are many barriers that reduce access to
Primary Care for disabled people. Most of these barriers relate to
attitudes of staff and the way our services have developed. However
many of us have not had the information or the support to begin to
think about disability equality.
Primary Care in Wales also comes in all sorts of different
shapes and sizes. We all have different strengths, weaknesses and
constraints. One size does not fit all. We feel, however, as a
group, that by giving primary care the basic information, as well
as access to support and further knowledge, we will foster a
culture of reflection, action and development so that disabled
people in Wales can access primary care without discrimination.
As part of an EquIP training day, staff have the opportunity to
listen to the voice of disabled people. They tell their stories, as
well as give basic information. There is also a self-assessment
audit tool which can be used within practices to begin to assess
how good services are at the moment for disabled people, as well as
to begin to plan how to do it better in the future. This tool can
be downloaded from our website for immediate use.
Self Assessment Audit Tool
For any queries that cannot be answered via the website, please
do not hesitate to contact the RCGP Wales office on 02920 504604
and ask for Natasha or email njenkins@rcgp.org.uk.
We also feel it is vital that you cascade what you have learnt
with other members of your team, and that you consider disability
equality issues on a regular basis as a practice. Indeed from this
website you will learn that you already have responsibilities under
the Disabilities Discrimination Act (DDA) to make reasonable
adjustments to your premises and systems to remove barriers to
access.