Health and Social Care

• Need for provision of Professional Sylheti interpreters deemed very important 
  
  
• Members of the community have been ill themselves or had children or relatives who suffered illness and did not know what was happening, what the illness was, how serious it was, and what treatment was being given
  

CASE STUDY A member of the Community's son died of Leukaemia aged six. During the illness the family did not know what was happening and did not know that their son was dying until the day of his death. The family felt this was due to both the language barrier and neglect in resolving this. An interpreter was never offered. No counselling was offered and there was no other follow up. No information was given to them and the family themselves had to search for information on the Internet. Their GP also did not use an interpreter.

• Often interpreting is left to relatives and even children which was felt to be inappropriate for reasons of confidentiality and privacy. Untrained interpreters do not have the specialist vocabulary needed to explain health complications
  
  
• Staff often seem unaware of the need for interpreters or how to access them
  
  
• It was important that Muslim women who wish are given the right to be attended by female doctors, staff and interpreters wherever possible
  
  
• It is important that Halal meat is available in hospitals and other settings
  
  
• Availability of privacy and facilities to pray where possible is important.