Wellbeing issues raised at Reading Community Health Champions meeting

Members of the town’s diverse communities and health professionals attended a meeting where issues of health and wellbeing were discussed.

Guests said barriers for people who speak languages such as Somali, Arabic and Urdu have led to communication issues with health professionals such as doctors and dentists. Others said they felt treated differently due to their race.

These issues were discussed at a Community Health Champions meet-up at The Reading Community Wellbeing Hub in Oxford Road held on Tuesday, December 19.

A programme included speeches, group activities and a chat circle where the concerns were voiced.

Among the suggestions floated was a register of GPs who speak different languages.

Then, certificates were presented to four volunteers who have become Community Health Champions, which were presented Dr Ejaz Elahi.

Certificates were given to Dr Hilda Eshieshi, Chelsea Otto, Deborah Alie and George Matthew.

Community Health Champions are residents of Reading who assist their community and the public by ensuring that individuals are aware of, and knowledgeable about services and activities that are important to their health and well-being whilst receiving feedback from contacts on areas where health improvements can be made.

The initiative emerged from the Community Vaccine Champions programme set up during the coronavirus pandemic to address vaccine hesitancy.

READ MORE: Concern in Reading raised over 'vaccine hesitancy'

The meeting was hosted by the Alliance for Cohesion and Racial Equality (ACRE).

Mr Matthew, ACRE lead for the Community Health Champions said: “We were trained by a tutor at the New Directions College, ACRE is now in partnership with the Reading Public Health Team so people can register and be trained to become Community Health Champions.

Dr Ejaz Elahi presents George Matthew with his Community Health Champion certificate at the December meetup in Reading. Credit: James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporting Service

“Then we network with people. We had a group of people from the Nepali community, we trained them as health champions, then they go back into the community to start talking about vaccines, diet and diabetes.

“It’s not about giving them advice, it’s just giving them information of how to get that advice if they need it, and that’s the key message.

“We give people the information about where to get advice.”

The Community Wellbeing Hub in Oxford Road, Reading. Credit: James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporting Service

After the certificates were presented, guests took part in a competition to win prizes, a lunch and a closing dance.

Among those present was a representative of Healthwatch Reading and Abid Masood, a vaccine expert, who has spoken to ACRE members before.

Mr Masood said: “I was asked to give a talk on the vaccine because there was a lot of hesitancy.

“The  Covid vaccines were accelerated to patients because of a worldwide need, and there was a concern that they hadn’t been properly tested, which was without foundation.

“It was to explain to them in simple layman’s terms language the drug approval process and allay their concerns, that vaccination is not a big deal, and to not make mountains out of a molehill.

“It was to give them an opportunity to ask questions. When they hear the answers they feel quite relaxed.”

To sign up as a community health champion, you can call 07841 253880 and email acrereading.org.