BME Health Improvement

BME HEALTH IMPROVEMENT

Photo 1 - BME Workers Network 1 Photo 2 - BME Workers Network 2
People attending the BME Workers Network meeting 20th January 2010.

BME Workers Network, Update

The Network met on 20th of January at SYCIL’s premises. Eighteen people attended and a further six people put in their apologies.

The following subjects were discussed:

How personalisation of Social Services could meet the needs of disabled people from BME communities.
A BME community forum initiative.
A health initiative aimed at taxi drivers.
An update from New Deal for Communities on the Church View development.
CVS Consultation Events.
DMBC Equality Impact Assessments on proposed changes to the diversity calendar of events.

The next meeting will be on 17 March 2010 at 9.30 for a 10 a.m. start at the Stirling Street Centre. Please contact Jane for further details.

For further information please contact Jane Kidd on 01302 892945 or email Jane Kidd you can also download the following information:

BME Workers Network Terms of Reference

BMW Network Meeting Dates 2010

BME Health Improvement and Independent Advocacy

SYCIL has a Health Improvement and Independent Advocacy Worker (Jane Kidd) for people from Doncaster's Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Communities who are disabled or who have a long term health condition. BME communities include asylum seekers, refugees, Gypsies and Travelers and emerging communities in Doncaster.

Advocacy Support

Disabled people from BME communities can face many barriers to accessing services. These may include limited access to information if English is a second language or culturally appropriate services.

Jane will work with members of BME communities on a one to one basis to help them access the services they need and to make informed choices about their Health and Social Care. Examples of support include:

Help with filling forms.
Making referrals to Social Services for a Needs Assessment.
Personal support at appointments.
Sign - posting to other services, including SYCIL's.

Health Improvement

The things that make us healthy or unhealthy such as what we eat, whether we exercise, smoke, use drugs or how much alcohol we drink are the same whatever community we come from However some long term conditions are more common in some BME communities. For example Type 2 diabetes is up to six times more common in people who come from South Asian countries and they are also more at risk of suffering heart disease than the general population. Stroke is a very serious problem for African- Caribbean people in Britain. African-Caribbean's are estimated to be twice as likely to have a stroke as Europeans.

Jane will work with members of the BME communities to make sure they have access to information that enables them to lead healthy lives and make them less likely to suffer chronic disease. She will:

Find translated health information where possible for individuals.
Give presentations on health to BME groups.
Act as a supportive link between individuals and health care.

Partnership working

Jane chairs a BME Workers Network that meets every two months in various venues around Doncaster. The Network is open to all service providers who work with BME communities in either a paid or voluntary capacity in order for them to share good practice and promote partnership working.

Health Events

Jane works with partners (including Dial, Women's Aid, NHS Doncaster and Doncaster Focus Group) to provide health events for BME communities throughout the year. Examples include 'Living with Joint Pains' that SYCIL and Dial took a lead on or the 'Heart and Mind' event that Community Development Workers from NHS Doncaster organized at The Point. The events aim to raise awareness of health issues and healthy living and to enable BME communities to make contact with service providers in both the voluntary and statutory sector.

Photo 1 - Taken at the Heart and Mind Event Photo 2 - Taken at the Heart and Mind event
Photographs taken at the Heart and Mind event.