Your Voice Counts: the experiences of refugees and asylum seekers living in Sheffield
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Healthwatch Sheffield speak to a wide range of people living in the city about their experiences of accessing health and social care, and what would help to improve their health and wellbeing.
They wanted to draw out some of the specific challenges faced by refugees and asylum seekers living in Sheffield. This briefing gives an overview of some of the conversations they have been having - with 41 refugees and asylum seekers over the last year.
What did people share?
Refugees and asylum seekers face many of the same challenges accessing health and social care services as anyone else in the city. For instance, people spoke about issues getting a GP appointment, or finding an NHS dentist.
However, many of the challenges people spoke about were amplified because of their asylum and refugee status. These challenges include:
- Understanding how to access care and support in a new country
- Language barriers when searching for information, or when speaking to healthcare providers
- A lack of money and resource to pay for buses, healthier food, or activities that help people to stay well
Healthwatch Sheffield also heard about people's need for mental health support, as well as a desire for opportunities to socialise, build connections, and enter employment or education in their new home.