NSW Ministry of Health: Gender Equity In Health

"Are there any differences in the way women and/or men use your service?..."

Although released in 2003, this document is still a useful checklist for planners and managers of health services who wish to encourage a culture of equity for both genders within their services.

It recognises the gender equity is about fair and equitable access to services and that men and women each require different approaches from service providers.

Planning 

• Have you involved a diversity of women and/or men in any service planning consultations?
• Do women and/or men have different views on the need for, and satisfaction with, your service? How do you explain any differences? What is your service's response? Does your response promote gender equity?
• Have you integrated issues within The Strategic Framework to Advance the Health of Women and Moving Forward in Men’s Health (the NSW Health policy documents for women’s and men’s health) in service planning (now updated as The Men's Health Action Plan 2009-2012)? 
• Are any differences in the way women and men are treated in your service due to gender? Is this appropriate? 

Diversity

• Does the service acknowledge the diversity of interests and views of specific groups of men and/or women?

Access

• Are there any differences in the way women and/or men use your service? Is this appropriate and does it promote gender equity?
• What are the gender-based barriers to access by your target group/s? How have you addressed these barriers? For example, do factors such as availability of child care, sex of health worker, hours of operation or fees prevent access to your service by the target group?
• Is your service open at times suitable to your target group?
• Is your service located in areas accessible to your target group?
• Is it possible to conduct outreach services to better meet the needs of women and/or men in your target group?
• Does your staffing profile reflect the target population’s preference for female or male workers? Do these preferences promote gender equity?
• How can your service collaborate with other services and agencies to improve services to your target group?

Image

• Is the physical environment of your service gender-appropriate? For example, is there reading material for women and/or men in your waiting areas. Do images of women and men displayed in your service reflect diversity?

Other Factors

• Have you considered that other factors such as employment status, employment type, disability, age, cultural background, sexual identity (including transgender issues) or social disadvantage, interact with gender to explain differences in health needs and health status?