Standards for equity in health care for migrants and other vulnerable groups

The Task Force on Migrant-friendly and Culturally Competent Healthcare (TF MFCCH) has developed a set of standards aiming at monitoring and measuring equity in health care for migrants and other vulnerable groups. The standards for equity provide opportunity for staff and services to question what they do, why they do it, and whether it can be done better. A set of standards have been developed on the basis of an extensive critical literature review as well as several expert workshops and consultations. The preliminary standards have also been pilot-tested and evaluated by a group of 45 health care organizations from 12 countries in 2012. Based on feedback received, the standards were improved and presented at the International WHO-HPH (Health Promoting Hospital and Health Services) Conference in Gothenburg. With the approval of the international HPH network, the TF on MFCCH has finalized its Standards and is set to begin a new phase of work to aid health care organizations implement the standards.