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‘You have to open a window in the NHS where people can interact with them’.
Among participants in Shropshire County, it was apparent that there was a lack of
awareness of peripheral and preventative services, such as smoking cessation services.
With regards to specific information about health and diseases, participants did not actively
seek this information until it was necessary. Their first port of call was then their GP.
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However, some respondents of the questionnaire survey did express a wish for ‘more
information about diseases’, ‘detailed explanations about diseases and medication’ and
‘information on healthy living’.
Most participants thought that leaflets and other visual resources such as videos would be
useful and that convenient locations for finding these resources would be their GP surgery,
the local library and other public service buildings. The Internet and Chinese media (TVBsE,
a Chinese satellite channel and Chinese newspapers) were useful sources of health
information for some.
Access to services is inherently linked with access to information. For both new arrivals to
the country, such as students, and established residents, it is apparent that information must
be available in Chinese and widely accessible. Effective information distribution channels
need to be identified.
This information must explain how the NHS works, who is eligible to use the service, what
services are available, when to use services and how to access services.
Specific information in Chinese, e.g. relating to diseases, must be available upon request.
The existing Translation and Interpretation Services could provide this, but awareness of this
service must be promoted and put in place for it to be of any value.
5.5. Service provision
5.5.1. GP services
There was a general dissatisfaction with GP appointment systems and waiting times.
‘There is a call-back system for seeing the GP. A nurse will call back to interview you.
When you call to see the GP, sometimes they miss your call or they don’t call you back’.
Focus group, male
‘Normally you need to make an appointment – that’s not a good system, how do you know
when you are going to be ill?’
Takeaway, male
‘Can’t get an appointment on the day because the surgery is fully booked. The surgery does
not allow us to book appointment in advance.’
Questionnaire, Chinese school, female
There was variation in the use of GPs for cold and flu. Some did not go to their GPs for
these reasons but there was evidence that they resorted to other resources.
‘For colds and flu, it’s no good going to the GP, he doesn’t give medicine. I go to see a
private Chinese doctor in Birmingham for colds and flu. It’s £30 each time. The medicine he
prescribes is stronger than the medicine you get at the chemists.’
Takeaway, female
There was expectation for GPs to prescribe medicines and dissatisfaction with the GPs
responses.
‘For colds and flu, they just tell you to drink more water. You have to be very ill to see a
doctor’.
Focus group, female
‘Generally they just push you away’.
Focus group, female
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Expectation for prescribed medicines has a cultural root as this is expected of practitioners in
China and Hong Kong. There is a need for health education in this area.
5.5.2. Other services
All but two of the participants were registered with dentists. Thes