NMCH

External Collaborator: L Wallis, NHS Greater Glasgow

The health inequalities experienced by young families living in socio-economically deprived conditions in Glasgow set the context for this study. Current health policy, and research evidence emphasise the potential contribution of primary health care services in reducing health inequalities. This study seeks to contribute to the reduction of health inequalities by advancing the capacities of primary health care workers to promote equality in their work with members of disadvantaged groups.

While health visitors are keen to address local health inequalities, they also feel that they lack proficiency in the necessary skills, such as working with ‘hard-to-reach’ groups and working with communities. Thus, in order to enable health visitors to take up the role in tackling health inequalities that current health policy envisages for them, the study aims to identify clients’ and health visitors’ perspectives on desirable and undesirable characteristics of services, as well as the more and less effective strategies used by health visitors to promote equality of access to services.

Related publications:

Bryans A. (2005) At home with clients: a study of health visiting expertise. Community Practitioner, 78 (10), 358–362

Bryans A. & McIntosh J. (2004) Goal Setting within the Framework of the Family Health Plan: a research study exploring health visiting practice in the Starting Well Demonstration Project. Caledonian Nursing and Midwifery Research Centre, GCU

Bryans A. (2004) Examining health visiting expertise: combining simulation, interview and observation. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 47(6), 623–630