Health Access Refugee Programme (HARP) - Print version

Who are HARP?

If you need help with any of the information on this website, or you aren't able to find what you are looking for, please contact your HARP Community Connector. 

HARP is an ICB-funded two-year pilot project that aims to enable and empower Refugees and Asylum Seekers to access health services by tackling health inequalities and removing barriers to health access.

Health inequalities

• Income
• Education
• Access to green space
• Healthy food
• The work people do
• The homes they live in

 Barriers to health access

• The availability of services in their local area
• Service opening times
• Access to transport
• Access to childcare
• Language (spoken and written)
• Literacy
• Poor experiences in the past
• Misinformation
• Fear

We work in partnership with four Coventry community groups who are established supporters of the Refugee & Asylum Seeker Community. Trusted and familiar Community Connectors work to engage with hard to reach groups communicating key messages and sign-posting access to available services.

We aim to: 

• Support Health Care Professionals to understand the complex needs and experiences of Refugees and Asylum Seekers.
• Implement Solutions through ‘Personalised Care Approach’ developing an understanding of the UK Health system.

HARP Community Connectors

HARP works in partnership with the four community groups listed below. There is a HARP Community Connector based at each community group who you can contact to discuss how we can support you to access health services and support. 

Joining Communities Together

Provides support with Women’s groups, assistance with accessing and registering at GP surgeries. Will attend appointments with you and helps with PIP application. Drop- ins Monday and Friday mornings, and Women's groups Wednesday mornings.

Please call Faranak for details or support with your health needs. 

Address: 7 Lamb Street, Coventry, CV1 4AE

Phone number: 07513 812766

St Francis 

Provides 10 week ESOL for health courses. These classes give you the knowledge and understanding of the NHS health system to help you to access health. St Francis will provide you with the language skills to access the NHS app, register with and make GP appointments, and speak to health professionals confidently about your health needs. 

Please call Leonna for further details or support with your health needs. 

Address: Links Rd, Coventry CV6 3DQ 

Phone Number: 02476 266010 

Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre (CRMC)

Provides support for all Refugees and Asylum Seekers in the community to access health. 

CRMC have health champions who will visit any venues where they can engage with Refugee and Asylum Seeker communities and present key health messages and signpost for individual health needs. 

CRMC's Community Connector Shakib works in partnership with Sky Blues in the Community. Every Monday providing football sessions for Asylum Seekers in hotels at the AT7 Centre. 

Please call Shakib for further details or support with your health needs. 

Address: Norton House, Bird St, Coventry CV1 5FX

Phone Number: 024 7622 7254

Carriers Of Hope (CoH)

Provides support for mother and baby groups where every Wednesday there are our Community Connectors who will talk to you about your children and families health and how to access and get support from the NHS. They will also let you know what free support you are entitled to when pregnant, have a new baby or small children. 

CoH has Health Champions who will visit any venue where they can engage with Refugee and Asylum Seeker communities and present key health messages and signposts for individual health needs. 

Please call Namrine for further details or support with your health needs. 

Address: Lythalls Lane Industrial Estate, Lythalls Ln, Coventry CV6 6FL

Phone Number: 024 7666 7008

Any of these groups can be contacted for access to health advice and signposting.

Partners

We work with partners who are experienced and knowledgeable in engaging with Refugees and Asylum Seekers. With this network of trusted and experienced professionals and third sector groups in place, we can ensure the best pathway and signposting to support Refugees and Asylum Seekers in all aspects of their mental and physical health. 

Foleshill Women's Training [http://www.fwt.org.uk/]

Central England Law Centre (CELC) [https://www.centralenglandlc.org.uk/]

CovConnects [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/covconnects]

Family Hubs [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/familyhubs]

Safe Surgeries [https://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk/safesurgeries/]

These are designated surgeries that are available for Refugees and Asylum Seekers, who are aware of cultural and religious differences as well as know how to specifically help.

Meridian Practice [https://meridianpractice.nhs.uk/]

For information on health and to find out how you can get registered and how GPs are here to help you.

Address: City of Coventry Health Centre, 2 4FS, 2 Stoney Stanton Rd, Coventry CV1 4FS
Phone Number: 024 7526 3599

CV Life [https://cvlife.co.uk/]

Warwickshire Wildlife Trust [https://www.warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/]

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) [https://www.tfwm.org.uk/]

University Hospital [https://www.uhcw.nhs.uk/]

Coventry University [https://www.coventry.ac.uk/]

Refugee and Asylum Seeker Rights to Healthcare

Coming into a new country and city is always going to be hard, but it is extra difficult when you do not understand your entitlement, your rights and how to access doctors, medical services, the NHS and more. This is a breakdown of what you are entitled to, how to contact them and what you may or may not need to sign up to doctor surgeries.

For information on medical rights, entitlement and information, please visit the 'Welcome to Coventry' [http://welcometocoventry.co.uk/] app or website.

Everybody has the right to register with a GP (General Practitioner) 

No proof of address, Immigration status, ID or NHS number is needed.

If you are having difficulty registering with a GP: 

Download a GP Access Card and show this to the GP Receptionist [http://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk/gp-access-cards/]

or 

Phone Doctors of the World 0808 1647 686 for help. 

Central England Law Centre (CELC) [https://www.centralenglandlc.org.uk/]

Address: Oakwood House, St Patrick's Road Entrance, Coventry CV1 2HL
Phone Number: 024 7622 3053

If you have any concerns or questions regarding legal advice or worries about your status please contact Central England Law Centre. They will be able to help or answer your questions.

Health Service Contacts

NHS Free Phone Number 111 ~ Get free health information. You can ask for an interpreter for your language ~ say ‘’interpreter please’’.

GP Practice or Medical Centre ~ First point of contact for non-urgent physical & mental health problems. They can advise, diagnose and prescribe medicines and refer you to see a hospital specialist if needed. You will need an appointment.

Walk in centres ~ Urgent Medical Care for minor injuries cuts, sprains, small fractures. You do not need an appointment, please be aware that wait times may be long.

Emergency Services ~ Call 999 if someone is seriously injured or their life is at risk.

Emergency Mental Health ~ Thoughts of suicide or self-harm call The Samaritans will talk to you on 116123.

NHS Mental Health Access Hub [https://www.covwarkpt.nhs.uk/urgent-advice] ~ If you need to talk to someone about your anxiety and mood. Freephone 08081 966798 - 24/7 service

NHS App ~ The app is there to give everyone a simple way to access their medical information and medical services. For more information, please visit these links:

• Support for residents [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/cov-connects/digital-inclusion-nhs-app]
• Support for organisations [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/cov-connects/digital-inclusion-nhs-app/2]

These Groups are here to help you and advise how to find the right health support for you:

Maternity

HARP works in partnership with UHCW Maternity Unit and our dedicated Refugee and Asylum Seeker Midwife will care for you throughout your pregnancy and when your baby is newly born and up to 6 weeks old. 

Bringing children into the world is amazing!

Our dedicated Asylum and Refugee Midwife, Emma Kay, is supporting all pregnant Refugees or Asylum Seekers up to when your baby is 10 weeks old. 

Emma will meet with you to discuss your individual care needs and guide you through your pregnancy. 

If you need anything please email: maternalRASreferrals@UHCW.NHS.UK

A midwife is a healthcare professional who cares for you and your health needs. 

If you are pregnant and have not yet spoken to a doctor, health visitor or midwife, please let a HARP Community Connector know as soon as possible! We can chat to you about keeping your baby and yourself healthy and refer you to your dedicated midwife. 

Babies do not stop moving towards the end of the pregnancy, please call the 'Labour Ward' on 024 7669 67333, open 24 hours, 7 days a week. 

Keeping your children and yourself healthy is a must, so if you are pregnant, please don't be afraid to see a doctor or go to hospital, it is for you and your child's benefit. 

If you are pregnant, you are entitled to maternity medical care. 

Entitlements

Please speak to your midwife or 'HARP Community Connector' about your entitlement to free West Midlands Travel while you are pregnant, to assist you in getting to appointments and general wellbeing.

If you need a baby car seat to leave the hospital, let your midwife know. 

• Everything you tell a midwife or your doctor is confidential- they can be trusted
• Please ask your midwife if you would prefer a female doctor and we'll try our best. Female chaperones are always available. 
• Free healthcare
• Please book with a healthcare professional before you get to 10 weeks pregnant to keep your baby healthy in the womb. Too many new mums-to-be don't go to the doctors until much later and it's more difficult to identify how to keep you and your baby safe.
• UHCW Hospital dedicated Refugee and Asylum Seeker midwife is there to guide you throughout your pregnancy, please trust that she knows what she's doing. 
• If you are feeling ill or feel like something is wrong, please contact your midwife, GP or labour triage and they will be able to help you. 

Email Address: maternalRASreferrals@UHCW.NHS.UK [mailto:maternalRASreferrals@UHCW.NHS.UK]

Labour Ward phone number: 024 7669 67333. This line is open 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Maternity vaccinations 

Some vaccines, such as the inactivated seasonal flu vaccine and the whooping cough vaccine, are recommended during pregnancy to protect the health of you and your baby.

If a vaccine uses a live version of the virus, such as the MMR vaccine, you'll usually be advised to wait until after your baby is born before you get vaccinated.

Sometimes, a live vaccine may be used during pregnancy if the risk of infection is greater than the risk of the vaccination. Your midwife, GP or pharmacist can give you more advice about vaccinations during pregnancy.

Live vaccines include:

• BCG (vaccination against tuberculosis)
• MMR (measles, mumps and rubella)
• Oral Polio (which forms part of the 6-in-1 vaccine given to infants)
• Oral Typhoid
• Yellow Fever

After the HealthWatch reported about maternity issues in Refugees and Asylum Seekers, we knew that we had to help reduce any issues that stopped newly arrived women from receiving the maternity healthcare they need and deserved. 

Improving maternity care | Healthwatch Coventry [https://www.healthwatchcoventry.co.uk/improving-maternity-care]: Identified issues and how we have supported the improvement of referrals, language barriers, communications between agencies, and overall giving holistic support for soon to be and new mums.

Resources

• Induction of labour PDF (uhcw.nhs.uk) [https://www.uhcw.nhs.uk/download/clientfiles/files/Patient%20Information%20Leaflets/Women%20and%20Children_s/Maternity/Induction%20of%20labour.pdf]
• Movements Matter - Your baby’s movements in pregnancy.pdf (uhcw.nhs.uk) [https://www.uhcw.nhs.uk/download/clientfiles/files/Patient%20Information%20Leaflets/Women%20and%20Children_s/Maternity/Movements%20Matter%20-%20Your%20baby%E2%80%99s%20movements%20in%20pregnancy.pdf]

Vaccinations

Vaccines are to keep you healthy from serious illness or diseases. They can't protect from every illness but getting a vaccines increases your chance of not getting a disease or serious illness.

It is important that children get vaccinated because it protects them from getting very ill and means they are healthy. They should receive vaccinations at: 

1 year

• Hib/MenC vaccine [https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/hib-men-c-booster-vaccine/] (1st dose)
• MMR vaccine [https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/mmr-vaccine/] (1st dose)
• Pneumococcal vaccine [https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/pneumococcal-vaccination/] (2nd dose)
• MenB vaccine [https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/meningitis-b-vaccine/] (3rd dose)

2 to 10 or 11 years

• Children's flu vaccine [https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/child-flu-vaccine/] (every year until children finish primary school)

3 years and 4 months

• MMR vaccine [https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/mmr-vaccine/] (2nd dose)
• 4-in-1 pre-school booster vaccine [https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/4-in-1-pre-school-dtap-ipv-booster/]

Alternatives

Some vaccines contain gelatine, but there are alternatives to stay protected.

• Fluenz- Nasal Flu Vaccine (not containing gelatine)
• Priorix- MMR Vaccine (not containing gelatine)

As a parent, you can choose which flu vaccine your child gets. If you are happy for your child to have the nasal spray, go and book an appointment or sign the school consent form. However, if you don’t want your child to have the nasal spray based on religious reasons and the pork content, you can choose the adult flu jab instead. Let your GP surgery know or write this on the school flu consent form.

Measles 

Staying protected against measles is incredibly important and you can be protected by having the MMR Vaccine. 

More information on measles [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-measles-guidelines/measles-factsheet].

TB cases are on a rise in Coventry and Warwickshire. Please visit 'Key Messages in Coventry' to learn more about TB. 

Key messages in Coventry

Tuberculosis (TB)

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that most often affects the lungs and is caused by a type of bacteria.

People from countries like Saharan Africa and South East Asia have a higher risk of TB.

TB and Hepatitis information. [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/health-wellbeing/tb-and-hepatitis/9]

Help and Support for TB

Address: Coventry & Warwickshire Community TB team
Coventry City Health Centre
Stoney Stanton Road
Coventry
CV1 4FS

Phone number: 024 7696 1351

Email address: Uhc-tr.covwarkstb@nhs.net [mailto:Uhc-tr.covwarkstb@nhs.net]

Family Hubs [/familyhubs]

Family Hubs are places where children, young people and their families can go when in need of help and support.

Sexual Health Clinic

A new Sexual Health Clinic has opened in Coventry City Centre, West Orchards. 

To learn more about the new Sexual Health Clinic please visit the links below:

• The sexual health hub [https://www.thesexualhealthhub.co.uk/]
• Sexual health services in Coventry [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/health-wellbeing/sexual-health-1]

Safe surgeries

A Safe Surgery is about any GP practice that commits to taking steps to ensure that their services are available to everyone in their community including Refugees and Asylum Seekers. This means that lack of ID or proof of address, immigration status or language are not barriers to patient registration. 

Learn more about Safe Surgeries [https://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk/safesurgeries/].

Managing back pain

Back pain can be quite difficult to manage or live with every day.

How to manage back pain and exercise you can do to relieve some of the pain [https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/back-pain/].

Coventry Start For Life

In Coventry, it's important for children to have the best start to life. 

This service ensures support for families and children up to the age of 2. 

More information. [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/start-life/coventrys-start-life-brochure#:~:text=The%20Start%20for%20Life%20brochure,well%20as%20many%20other%20locations.]

For more in-depth information please visit the Start for Life website [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/startforlife].

Background information

The Health Access Refugee Programme is a two- year pilot project that is funded by the Integrated Care Board. Our aims are to tackle health inequalities and to improve access to health services in Coventry for refugee and asylum seeker communities.

Our work targets communities by understanding where issues are within the health services and slowly integrating refugees and asylum seekers into doctor surgery, dentists and more whilst equipping them with knowledge for them to easily and independently access the NHS.

The work we do is aided by our 'Community Connectors' who are: St Francis, Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre, Joining Communities Together and Carriers of Hope.

Contacts

• St Francis Employability: 024 7626 6010. Please contact Leonna Wilson for more information
• Carriers of Hope: 024 7666 7008. Please contact Namrine Roberts for more information
• Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre: 024 7622 7254. Please contact Shakib Nassery for more information
• Joining Communities Together: 024 7655 0033 Please contact Faranak Shahini for more information