A Service User (SU) was referred for further support from SIS by another local organisation which supports refugees and asylum seekers. The SU had gone to their drop-in session and mentioned that he has hearing problems and has been waiting over 6 months for help with his old and broken hearing aids. He also reported feeling ignored by his GP and that they didn’t routinely book interpreters for his appointments.
SIS was able to open a Bilingual Advocacy case for him. A SIS Bilingual Advocate (BA), who speaks the same language, contacted him to discuss his needs. They established that he would like support to talk to his GP about his hearing issues, request a letter from the GP about his health conditions to submit as part of his immigration appeal, and to make sure the GP surgery knew that he needed a language interpreter to be booked for all his appointments with them.
The BA booked and attended a GP appointment with the SU to discuss his hearing issues. The GP confirmed and reassured that a referral had previously been made to the ENT department at the hospital and explained how to follow it up. The GP receptionist agreed to prepare a letter regarding his medical conditions and also printed out a patient summary record. A follow up appointment was booked and a note regarding his interpreting needs was added to his record.
The BA took the opportunity to let the SU know that he can also self-refer to SIS for his interpreting needs for any upcoming appointments, so that he can feel reassured that an interpreter will be booked.
The SU has not been able to attend English classes since moving to Brighton because of his broken hearing aids, so, when communicating with medical staff, he has had the compounded barriers of language and his hearing problems. Interpreters have not been routinely provided at his GP appointments and he felt unable to make himself and his needs understood.
Through having an advocate, he felt listened to by the GP and subsequently felt confident enough to follow up the ENT referral for himself. He was reassured that interpreters would be booked for future GP appointments, and was also able to obtain an important letter for his immigration case. He said:
I am so happy with the support from the BA, and I feel empowered to follow up with ENT about my referral.
