The BHA Experience: Using Human Rights in Health and Social Care Valeska Matziol Manchester LINk Support Team

Introducing BHA o BHA is a health equality charity aimed at: challenging inequalities supporting individuals, families and communities to improve their health and wellbeing o Our services delivered at local, regional and national level cover the areas of: Sexual Health (e.g. Leeds Skyline, Arise) Healthy Communities (e.g. Routes, Hepatitis C Support) Engaging and Involving (e.g. LINks, Manchester Race & Health Forum)

Human Rights in Healthcare o BIHR project to raise awareness of human rights (HR) in voluntary and community sector (VCS) explore ways of using human rights to promote better health and social care build a wider Health and Human Rights network o BHA is taking part together with 20+ other VCS organisations in Birmingham, London and the North West

BHA’s Stance on HR o The FREDA* principles underpinning the HR Act also underpin BHA’s core values of appropriateness, equity, transparency, involving, choice, and diversity. o Understanding of HR should be integral to all service provision and commissioning o HR Act = can make a real practical difference to people when rights are under threat *FREDA = freedom, respect, equality, dignity, and autonomy

Actions & progress to date o Participated in BIHR learning sets and shared information within BHA o Provided HR training to Senior Management Team to ensure leadership and commitment from the top o Worked particularly with Engaging and Involving projects to: share HR info across VCS, especially to BME organisations raise awareness of HR and start a debate encourage individual service users to use HR Act to challenge poor practice

Examples o Manchester Race & Health Forum: challenged decisions taken by public authorities to cease or dramatically change health and social care provision referring to HR Act developing proposal to inform older BME people to inform their rights in relation to HR Act o Local Involvement Networks: Care Navigation Project – helps people to negotiate the health and social care system and uses HR Act in appeals to improve care for individuals Dignity & Respect – development of local campaigns and champions, events, resources, etc.

Examples o Local Involvement Networks (contd): “Your Homecare, Your Rights: A guide for homecare customers” – explicitly employs rights based approach and introduces relevant HR info Other examples for rights based information: “Your Guide to Patients’ Rights in the NHS” “Changes to the way you receive support from Manchester City Council” Enter & View – training for volunteers and process for conducting visits incorporates elements of HR Act Access to care – use HR Act to challenge PCT decisions to restrict access to particular types of treatment (e.g. IVF)

Looking ahead o We have started the debate now and switched emphasis from the (management/regulatory) needs of services onto the rights of individuals, but this is only the beginning and there is scope for a lot more work to be done. o Possible ways to extend our work around HR review our Sexual Health and Healthy Communities work to see how HR Act can be beneficial there develop further information materials in the style of “Your Homecare, Your Rights”, e.g. for care home customers develop more work with an explicit focus on HR issues

Looking ahead For further information or to get involved please contact: Donna Miller - Manchester Health & Race Forum Phone: Valeska Matziol – Manchester LINk Phone: