Introduction - FOYER VZW

1. Enables equal access to health care and improves quality of HC • More than a simple guiding in a foreign language • Creates trust between healthcare professionals and patients • Interprets both language and “culture” • Provides emotional support (language barrier may lead to isolation) • “Bridging” function – 5 practical tasks: 1) Interpreting 2) Providing information to HC professionals 3) Providing information to patients 4) Involved in case discussions 5) Advocacy • Medecins du Monde and Foyer is conducting a survey on immunisation coverage and access to healthcare for Roma • Focus particularly on Roma families living in extremely poor sanitary and administrative conditions, mainly in Brussels • Project to be completed in the second half of 2012, but preliminary results show that: • Roma adults educated in Romania have been vaccinated against Hepatitis A & B, TB and Tetanus • Roma children born in Romania or other countries have been vaccinated, but some have missed vaccinations in 15th month of age (penumococcal 13-stereotypes, rotavirus, MMR) • Children born outside of Belgium, who have not been fully vaccinated and who attend Belgian schools – the schools ensure children are fully vaccinated from the age of 6-7 • Children born in Belgium follow the vaccination schedule – ensured by K&G and ONE • Offered in the language of the patients (so far 6 language groups) • Increase in awareness and motivation to seek advice/services • Reducing social isolation and barriers to participation (anxiety etc.) • Weekly sessions – every Monday (10:00-12:00) • Organised by intercultural mediators with input from HC professionals • Less than 15 members in one group • Listening, Q&A and evaluation after each session • Information sessions about migrant populations (i.e. Who are the Roma people in Belgium?) • Variety of relevant case studies and role plays • Helps to prepare for health training sessions with patients and to adapt surveys and other materials to the language and culture of the target group INTERCULTURAL MEDIATORS ‘ SERVICES • Call-services (9am – 12:30pm) – on call-system (0032-2-4107581) • Detachment of mediators – child and mother care, GPs practices, hospitals • Mediation via internet – Internet.icb@foyer.be ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and CONTACT • A special thanks goes to Zakia, Jie and Drita Our website: www.foyer.be Email: hamida.chikhi@foyer.be Introduction - FOYER VZW HEALTH TRAINING for PATIENTS SURVEY – Access of Roma to Healthcare Foyer vzw, Belgium Hamida Chikhi Intercultural mediation in health care INFORMATION for HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS INTERCULTURAL MEDIATION