Listening to BAME people about Health and Social care services in York

Healthwatch York wanted to work with Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority residents of York, to make sure they are listened to, and their experiences are used to help shape local health and social care services.

They created a short survey and shared it with Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities in York. 30 people completed the survey.

Key Findings:

• Many people described feeling judged, and not listened to. Many felt this was down to language barriers, accents and the colour of their skin. People also felt that GPs lacked knowledge about what illnesses (e.g. skin irritation) looked like on their skin.
• When asked if they had ever felt treated that they were treated differently because of their ethnicity or skin colour when accessing health and care services, 7 said yes, 10 said no, and 1 person was unsure. 12 people did not answer.
• People said they felt health care professionals didn't know enough about cultural differences.
• 17 people had tried to access health and care services during the pandemic. 5 had positive experiences and 7 had negative experiences.