Call for public role in health

COMMUNITIES should play a greater role in designing and delivering healthcare services, the Combat Poverty Agency said yesterday.

Launching a report on the outcomes of its Building Health Communities programme which has supported 10 projects around the country, the CPA said local communities knew best what services were needed, and their involvement in delivering the services could also bring down costs.

Speaking at the launch yesterday, Combat Poverty team leader Jim Walsh said: “By involving people experiencing poverty in the delivery of health services, we can improve health outcomes and contribute to cost-savings in the health service.