Refugees and asylum seekers in Salford are receiving help in navigating their healthcare rights and how they can access support, treatment, and advice.
The BHA (Black HIV/AIDS) for equality works in Salford and across the North-West, sharing and advising migrants, asylum seekers and ethnic minority groups on how to access the healthcare that they need.
BHA Equality Lead, Meghan Guy, said there is an incorrect stigma in Salford around immigrants and the healthcare system. She said: “There’s a big misconception in British society that migrants, refugees, or asylum seekers are coming here just to use our services but actually a lot of them don’t seek help because they fear their passport being seen and fear getting deported.
“We do a lot of work with refugees and people who are seeking asylum, but I think the big thing is that they themselves don’t know their rights, but also people within the healthcare system aren’t aware of the rights that they have.”
The organisation, alongside many others held a Black History Month event on October 27 at the Pendleton Gateway to spread awareness of the cause and to inform people of their rights, as patients, and medical practitioners.
Faith, a member of the BHA equality team, explained the HIV testing system in place in Salford. She said: “We want people to know that we will offer sexual health advice in the community of Salford. If anyone has got concerns, if they’re worried about languages, we’ve got resources for different languages.
“We also offer HIV testing for free every Thursday in Salford. Just go online on our website, and just book in for free. You can get results within two minutes!”
The Councillor for Pendleton and Charlestown, William Nkurunziza, spoke on Salford’s progress in helping minority groups: “I think in Salford we are doing very well, but there are always still many other things to do. We have got great representation in decision making panels in Salford who are deciding on what is going on.
“This is a great opportunity to bring together people and to amplify voices on issues that are affecting people in Salford. The main thing this is about showing action over words, so in Salford, we are on the course of delivering the change that we want to see”.
Meghan Guy specialises in sexual health for BHA Equality, and explained that the issues she repeatedly sees in her line of work, often comes down to language barriers, and what people in need can do to combat this. She followed: “There are issues with language barriers as well. You see, they do have a right to a translator present, and the NHS has an amazing translator service, but unfortunately, sometimes due to time pressures there could be a lack of availability.
“They might not be told that they can get a translator, and they might not know that they need to ask for a translator for the appointment because they haven’t been told.”
The BHA Equality organisation has a variety of health services they support, ranging from sexual health to Covid19/ long Covid19 treatments. But the Black History Month event also included organisations such as ‘This is Me’, supporting asylum seekers, refugees and minority groups that are battling the lack of LGBTQ acceptance in their home countries.
Pete Simms, the founder of the ‘This is Me’ movement, shared how he is helping Salford. He said: “’This is Me’ is redefining what LGBT means in the community, Salford has no safe spaces, or didn’t until we started.”
The organisation aims to create an environment that is safe for people In Salford, supporting their needs and working with organisations like BHA and running a free café and drop in system for people who need them.
Mr Simms also talked about the organisation’s involvement with Salford food parcels, and how it can be very beneficial to the people it helps.
He said: “Food insecurity is a big issue for the LGBTQ community, so it’s a good way to have those quiet conversations and also make sure that the body is taken care of. Salford food parcels work with refugees and asylum seekers, so we can repay them by helping with the LGBT issues that they’re dealing with.”
For more information on the rights of asylum seekers and refugees in the UK click here. To read more about BHA Equality’s work click here
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