Saturday, May 02, 2009
HIV discrimination
Rockin' René quite rightly asks about the silence amongst the four parties' health spokespeople about claims by a top sexual health consultant that people living with HIV in Wales are routinely facing discrimination at the hands of their GPs.
In many ways I do not think this is deliberate. Rather the revelations suffered by virtue of the fact that they played second fiddle on the BBC's Dragon's Eye to claims that the Welsh Government's free prescriptions' policy might be unsustainable in the face of cuts in public expenditure.
Certainly, I spent most of yesterday commenting on this claim and on the 10 year old Port Talbot girl who emerged from a coin slot tanning salon with 70% burns on her body. It is often the case that in these instances the agenda is often set by the media who make their own calculation about what will sell newspapers and respond accordingly. The BMA has also said that the issue is not as black and white as it is suggested.
In many ways I do not think this is deliberate. Rather the revelations suffered by virtue of the fact that they played second fiddle on the BBC's Dragon's Eye to claims that the Welsh Government's free prescriptions' policy might be unsustainable in the face of cuts in public expenditure.
Certainly, I spent most of yesterday commenting on this claim and on the 10 year old Port Talbot girl who emerged from a coin slot tanning salon with 70% burns on her body. It is often the case that in these instances the agenda is often set by the media who make their own calculation about what will sell newspapers and respond accordingly. The BMA has also said that the issue is not as black and white as it is suggested.
René should rest assured though that I will not allow this matter to pass by. I have already asked my researcher to obtain a copy of the Terrence Higgins Trust study showed that around half of people with HIV who had faced prejudice or discrimination in the preceding year said it had been at the hands of a medical professional, usually a GP or dentist. Once I have this evidence then I will take the matter up with the Health Minister.
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I don't think this should surprise people that discrimination exists within the NHS generally, and specifically within GPs practices.
I've been discriminated against by my PREVIOUS surgery on grounds that I've been ill!!!!
Background: been going back and for to the surgery for ongoing stomach issues, the receptionist there deemed me as a time waster, when I went there for appendicitus I was refused an appointment by the GPs receptionist - nice receptionist.
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I've been discriminated against by my PREVIOUS surgery on grounds that I've been ill!!!!
Background: been going back and for to the surgery for ongoing stomach issues, the receptionist there deemed me as a time waster, when I went there for appendicitus I was refused an appointment by the GPs receptionist - nice receptionist.
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