ACFC/31DOC(2008)001 62. State Parties should ensure the effective involvement of persons belonging to the minorities concerned in the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of measures taken to address problems affecting their health care. These are necessary to enable health services to respond more effectively to their specific needs. 63. Medical and administrative staff employed in health services should receive training on the cultural and linguistic background of national minorities, so that they can adequately respond to the specific needs of persons belonging to national minorities.17 The employment of health mediators or assistants belonging to national minorities can contribute to improved communication and more appropriate approaches.18 64. Particular emphasis should be put on providing equally effective services to persons belonging to national minorities in the health care system.19 Equal opportunity policies should not be limited to access to health care only. They should also aim at the provision of quality services to persons belonging to national minorities, which have the same impact as the provisions for the rest of the population. 2) PARTICIPATION IN CULTURAL LIFE20 65. The effectiveness of the participation of persons belonging to national minorities in cultural life is in most State Parties closely connected to their level of participation in public affairs and in social and economic life. The Framework Convention protects both the right for persons belonging to minorities to preserve and develop their own cultural heritage and identity and the right for them to take part effectively and interact in mainstream cultural life, in a spirit of tolerance and intercultural dialogue. Therefore, the findings presented in this chapter result from a combined analysis of Articles 5, 6 and 15. 66. When designing and implementing cultural policies affecting persons belonging to national minorities, it is important that the authorities carry out adequate consultations with them so as to meet their needs effectively. National minorities, through their 17 See also remarks in part c) above. See for example 2nd Opinion on the Czech Republic, adopted on 24 February 2005, paragraph 55, and 2nd Opinion on the Slovak Republic, adopted on 26 May 2005, paragraphs 56 and 57. 19 See for example 2nd Opinion on the Slovak Republic, adopted on 26 May 2005, paragraphs 56 and 57. 20 See also other Council of Europe reference texts on cultural diversity and on the media, such as: - The Faro Declaration on the Council of Europe's Strategy for Developing Intercultural Dialogue, adopted by the Ministers responsible for Cultural Affairs of the States parties to the European Cultural Convention, meeting in Faro on 27 and 28 October 2005. - The Declaration on Intercultural Dialogue and Conflict Prevention, adopted by the Conference of the European Ministers of Culture on 22 October 2003. - 7th European Ministerial Conference on Mass Media Policy: Integration and diversity: the new frontiers of European media and communications policy. Texts adopted (MCM(2005)005). - Recommendation No. R (97) 21 of the Committee of Ministers on the media and the promotion of a culture of tolerance and its Explanatory Memorandum. - Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe: Recommendation 1773 (2006): The 2003 guidelines on the use of minority languages in the broadcast media and the Council of Europe standards: need to enhance co-operation and synergy with the OSCE. - Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe: Recommendation 1277 (1995) on migrants, ethnic minorities and media. 18 21