Minorities Denied Full HIV Care in UK

August 22, 2002

Source of Infomation: Naz Project News Letter: Rasaneh Khaberie, Issue 15,

Summer 2002 .

Minority ethinic patients are not receiving full HIV Care for HIV/AIDS,

according to patients and health care workers in London. Minorities pts say

they feel mistreated and misunderstood by staff in the National Health Services

(NHS) and unable to express themselves. Much of this appears to be down to poor

communication.

'I don't think I'm imagining there are two standards of treatment: one for the

English and one for the foerign HIV Patients' says Marcos38, a Brazilian layer

libing in London. 'In the clinic I onserved that staff have more smiles and

better dialogues with the English. Only 1 nurse an Australian treated me very

well; she was the first toask if Ihad remembered to take my HIV Meds'.

An HIV Consultant at Guy's and St. Hospital NHS Trust, admits

that complex physical, emotional and psychological problems experienced with

ethinic minorities. At St. Hospital, we allocate a full 30minutes per

patent because we believe enough time todiscuss all the issues. However for

some non-english speaking pts with multiple issues this may still not be enough

and occassionally time pressures result in less than optimal holisticapproach

to patient care', says Dr.. Somemental,sexual and family health issues, it

appears, are not been adequately discussed.

To tackle these issues, NAZ London Project continuing to expand its

supportservices forminority HIV patient.And in the first six months of the

year, organization welcomed 60 new clients, exceeding its target for whole new

years. NAZ London also help the clients by providing interpreting and advocacy

services.

Dr. Lweis from St. Hospital adds, ' we have very limited training on

cultural and religious diversities. You learn on the job in a mutli ethinic

society', says Dr.. He has learned to consider diets,marriages, sexuality,

feasts, deaath rites, as well as the practicalbarriers facingeach community,

including high levels ofstigma and the constraints ofchild care,accomodationand

the whole range of process of seeking asylum in UK.

This study is important in the light ahtat the Profiles of Prejudice in England

results from 30th January 2002 says that English People are prejudiced against

an ethinic minority. The MORI research, which was conducted among 1,183 adults

reveals that 16% feelless positive towards three or more groups. One e of the

less positive group are South Asians and the other are Gays and Lesbians.

Information about Naz Project London can found at: www.naz.org.uk

[At the request of the author this message is posted as Anon; Moderator]

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