Your Voice Counts: the experiences of refugees and asylum seekers living in Sheffield
At Healthwatch Sheffield we 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.
We wanted to draw out some of the specific challenges faced by refugees and asylum seekers living in Sheffield, so we have pulled together some of the conversations we’ve been having in various settings.
What do people tell us?
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 told us about issues getting a GP appointment, or finding an NHS dentist.
However, many of the challenges people told us 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
We 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.
Your voice counts
The feedback people share with us makes a difference to care.
We have been taking a proactive approach to sharing this feedback as we have heard it, and have collaborated with various stakeholders to improve health services for refugees and asylum seekers in Sheffield.
Read the briefing to find out more about the experiences of refugees and asylum seekers in Sheffield, and how we work to amplify the voices of those who are not always heard by services, and those who face poorer health outcomes than others.
Downloads
If you need this briefing in a different format, please contact us by phone 0114 253 6688 or email info@healthwatchsheffield.co.uk
