Black women's health and family support. How do carers find out about local services -report, Tower Hamlets

BWHAFS responded to Healthwatch and the Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG) appeal to clarify how women of Somali heritage learn about and access health services. One-to-one and group surveys were undertaken with 30 hard-to-reach older female carers of Somali heritage at the lunch club, lifelong learning and Care

Outreach programmes. Engagement took place with regards to their current concerns, patterns for accessing health services, their health and caring needs and priorities.

The following barriers were identified:

• Language Constraints

• Internet Constraints

• Sourcing Health, Welfare and Social Information

Recommendations:

• Women (traditionally the primary health and caring providers in families), to be targeted for the dissemination of key health messages

• Important health messages be promoted by the CCG and Healthwatch through a range of approaches including

o Partnership supporting grassroots services

o Outreaching and engaging with hard-to-reach women and carers such as those of Somali heritage who prioritise oral traditions of communication and have limited reading, digital and English language skills but could benefit from health awareness activities and health talks which can be provided through statutory/voluntary sector team efforts

• Health messages to be promoted through TV channels and touch screens at GP services in appropriate community languages so as to reach disenfranchised women and families through a range of approaches

• CCG and Healthwatch continue to work in partnership with small organisations to undertake further research into the changing needs of the

Borough’s most vulnerable women and carers to support them in maintaining good health and manage their own and wider family members’ chronic health issues to ensure residents are healthier, happier and more resilient as a result of early health and community interventions.