Barriers to accessing high quality healthcare

Here we have information to help you understand barriers to accessing high quality healthcare, like experiencing mental health stigma and discrimination.

While there are lots of amazing and compassionate people working in healthcare, unfortunately we know that sometimes people do experience stigma and discrimination when trying to get help and support.

This can happen at all levels of healthcare, in both general and psychiatric hospitals, Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) appointments, and when people engage with emergency services (A&E) or General Practitioners (GPs). This may be down to lack of resources, education or even understanding. Sometimes people aren't trying to treat someone in a discriminatory or stigmatising way and it can happen unintentionally, but that doesn't make it any less painful for the person experiencing it.

But going to seek professional advice is a big step for many to take, so we need healthcare professionals to get it right. Our rights are outlined in detail by the Mental Welfare Commission’s ‘Rights In Mind’ resource, which addresses how individuals should be treated within the healthcare system.

Due to its complexity, navigating the healthcare system and gaining person-centred care is challenging for everyone, but for others there are additional barriers to accessing support. The system is far from universally inclusive; people face barriers like racism, homophobia, sexism which are based on their identity characteristics and also, mental health stigma and discrimination. This complex stigmatisation and interplay demands a need to understand these experiences, and design services which leave no one behind.