Speaking Out - Conference Report on Health and Social Needs of Ethnic Minorities in Northern Ireland

Author(s): Chinese Welfare Association (NI)
Document Type: Conference Paper
Year: 1997
Publisher: Chinese Welfare Association
Place of Publication: Belfast
Subject Area(s): Community Relations, Cultural Identity, Ethnicity
Client Group(s) : Minority Ethnic Groups, Travellers

Abbreviations: NI - Northern Ireland, DHSS - Department of Health and Social Security

Background to the Research

  • This report brings together contributions made by representatives of the Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, Asian and Traveller Communities, as well as professionals from the voluntary and statutory sectors, to a conference held in Belfast in November 1996. The aim of the conference was to raise awareness of the health and social needs of ethnic minorities in NI.

Research Approach

  • A series of papers relating to the needs of ethnic communities were presented and two workshops took place, one on identifying needs and one on planning for service provision for ethnic minority groups.

Main Findings

Suneil Shaarma (Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities)

  • Ethnic minorities in NI have experienced, and continue to experience, racial discrimination in the provision of primary health care services.
  • Members of ethnic minority communities may experience racial prejudice from healthcare staff. This may inhibit their use of services.
  • The training of healthcare professionals fails to take into account ethnic diversity in NI society.
  • Members of ethnic minority communities who speak little or no English are sometimes given unsuitable or ineffective advice.
  • Material concerning health education and public services are not always available in languages other than English.
  • Official responses to problems within the ethnic minority communities are often culturally inappropriate.
  • The government lacks any clear policy and social programmes to meet the welfare and social needs of minority ethnic communities.
  • There is no core funding available to minority ethnic communities from the DHSS, except an annual grant of £30,000 towards the Traveller community.

Shek Yung Lee (Chinese Welfare Association)

  • The high profile of the political conflict has masked the needs of the Chinese and other ethnic minority communities.
  • The majority of the Chinese community is concentrated in the catering industry, where people work long and unsociable hours. The community is also widely dispersed throughout NI. These factors have led to social isolation and exclusion.
  • The language barrier leads to difficulties in accessing health and social services, welfare, housing provision and education and training. Strict immigration laws prevent the Chinese from entering into other areas of economic activity and accessing adequate housing.
  • Members of the Chinese community encounter racist and discriminatory attitudes from local people. They are adversely affected by a lack of coherent policy on the part of statutory providers in relation to their needs.

Manju Tandon (Indian Community Centre)

  • Access to information in Health Clinics and hospitals is restricted for members of the Indian community because leaflets and other information are not available in Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi.
  • A greater choice of food is needed when a stay in hospital is required, as most Hindu people are vegetarian.
  • Many women would prefer to access information in their own language and discuss their health and social needs with women from the same culture and tradition as them. The Centre would like financial assistance to run regular information sessions on the subjects of diet, contraception, keep-fit, and childcare.

Rukhsar Ali (Craigavon Asian Women's and Children's Association)

  • Although many Asian young children were born in NI and speak English, the majority of older people and some younger women do not. Consequently, they have difficulty accessing the full range of health care services.
  • The community attending the Centre are all Muslims and religious requirements raise issues for people in hospital care and in school. Muslims do not eat pork, and meat must be prepared in line with tradition. Vegetarian food must be requested in hospital and in school
  • Whilst some of the women attending the Centre have been in NI for 25-30 years, they report feeling marginalised. They identify strongly with the need for their own community centre, staff and resources.
  • Women also expressed the need for additional advice and information in their own language(s) and the desire for regular information sessions to be held in the Centre.

Mary Ellen Mongan (Monagh Road Traveller Site)

  • The rights of Travelling people to clean water sanitation, rubbish collection and accommodation have been continually denied. This has had, and continues to have, serious consequences for the health and well-being of travellers.
  • The 16 families at Monagh - seventy-four people - share eight toilets and four water stand pipes. Promises of a serviced site have yet to materialise.
  • Adult life expectancy amongst travellers is 11-15 years less than in the settled community. Levels of child mortality are higher than among the settled community.
  • Levels of childhood immunisation are low and there is a higher risk of inherited diseases.
  • There are higher incidences of hospital admissions for preventable diseases and more injuries than normal resulting from road traffic accidents.
  • Many GP's are reluctant to register Traveller patients while they are living on unauthorised or illegal sites.
  • Currently, the level of unemployment among adult male Travellers is 80%. There is a high level of dependence on social security benefits, and low levels of literacy and educational achievement.
  • In recent years a very good relationship has developed between Travellers and health staff - particularly health visitors and social workers.
  • Better access to health care will not bring about improvements in the health of Travellers unless the chronic physical conditions in which Travellers are compelled to live are rectified.

Recommendations

Key needs identified

  • There is a lack of sensitivity in statutory provision to cultural diversity.
  • Some members of ethnic minority groups experience language problems which leads to difficulty in accessing information and services.
  • Travellers are experiencing poor accommodation and lack access to basic sanitation.
  • Ethnic minorities are largely excluded from the consultation process for health and social care.
  • There is inadequate funding for support organisations.
  • Ethnic minorities are largely excluded from the purchasing plans to fund projects on a realistic timetable.
  • There is a lack of Race Relations legislation and race equality policies.
  • There is a lack of appropriate education, training and employment opportunities for Ethnic Minority groups.

Key recommendations

  • A mechanism needs to be developed which guarantees on-going consultation with ethnic minority groups with regard to health and social needs. Consultation should take place at local and regional levels.
  • In order to ensure appropriate addressing of identified needs, formal lines of communication between the various levels of policy makers should be established.
  • In keeping with the Race Relation (NI) Order 1997, ethnic monitoring and codes of practice should be built into the policy, planning and service delivery of all government departments and statutory agencies.
  • A sustainable structure that provides support to ethnic minority groups should be established at local level.
  • Core funding for support organisations and developmental work should be provided.
  • Policy aimed at the provision of services for all major ethnic communities in NI should be incorporated into strategic planning of DHSS and Social Service Boards. More culturally appropriate models of service delivery to meet the specific needs of ethnic minority groups should be introduced.
  • Appropriate education, training and employment opportunities for ethnic groups should be created and the Health Service should employ more ethnic minority workers.
  • Service providers should provide appropriate translation and interpreting services to ensure access to information and services.
  • All staff should have anti-racism and race awareness training.
 

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