Event briefing: BME Health and Social Care

Healthwatch Sheffield held a Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Health and Social Care event in December 2015 to explore experiences of healthcare and social care among diverse communities in Sheffield. Twenty-three participants representing a range of organisations and communities discussed their experiences of primary care, hospital services, mental health services and social care. Overall, participants valued the NHS principle of free healthcare and generally spoke positively about the quality of services and staff. 

Participants identified several barriers to accessing primary and secondary healthcare. These included difficulties accessing NHS dental services, short appointment times, inconsistent access to interpreters, long waiting times in Accident and Emergency departments, and concerns about hospital parking availability and costs. Suggested improvements included providing information in different languages, increasing community representation among staff and volunteers, and offering a wider range of culturally appropriate food options in hospitals.

Mental health services were discussed in depth. Participants highlighted stigma, cultural barriers, long waits for support, limited resources and challenges for people with dual diagnoses as key obstacles. Suggested improvements included stronger relationships with GPs, more support for families and carers, greater availability of information and talking therapies in community languages, and better recognition of cultural factors within treatment and support. 

Participants also felt that some social care services were not sufficiently culturally appropriate, citing concerns about language barriers, food choices, personal care and workforce diversity. Healthwatch Sheffield reported that the findings had been shared with partner organisations, incorporated into wider work on adult social care and mental health crisis care, and used to inform ongoing engagement with diverse communities across the city.