Trust Board Febuary 2010 - Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals

SWBTB (2/10) 035 (a)
Black Caribbean
The split on options for Black Caribbean respondents was between option 1 (34%) and 2
(32%)
This is not surprising as a high proportion of respondents in this grouping live in the HOB area
around Winson Green/Handsworth, close to City Hospital, and is therefore unlikely to be
significantly affected by the closure of the Sandwell site. People who did comment on the
questionnaire, therefore, tended to be those from Sandwell who were opposed to the closure
of that site or did not want to go to City. Some people felt the options were geared towards a
foregone conclusion.
One person expressed the need for a facility for water births in Sandwell. One Black Caribbean
focus group member made the following point: “Pregnancy is a natural thing and not an illness
and this should be promoted more especially to mothers from an ethnic background as they
often see pregnancy as an illness”.
Bangladeshi
The split against options was divided for Bangladeshi respondents. 33% chose option 1 and
22% option 3, but there were a group of 16 women (29%) from one focus group who chose
‘none of the above’
There was a high degree of consensus in this focus group that they did not want to see labour
wards transfer from Sandwell to City hospital and they were disappointed that all three options
involved this. It was evident that many of the women had come to the focus group in order to
lobby to retain current services at Sandwell, and the high turnout at the session (c. 30
participants) was indicative of the strength of feeling in their communities. People from this
group had lived in West Bromwich for a long time and felt comfortable with Sandwell Hospital,
knew the staff etc.
In common with the Pakistani grouping, respondents from a focus group shared their
perceptions that “people who don’t speak English very well are not always treated well”. They
felt it was important that staff treat them with respect and that “staff … are patient with people
who don’t understand what they are saying”.
In relation to the language barrier, respondents explained that people who needed an
interpreter often have access to a range of people locally, but the further they have to travel for
appointments, the more difficult it may be to find someone to go with them. One woman said
she often acts as an interpreter to her sisters and sister-in-laws, but wouldn’t be so able to do
so if she had to go over to City as it would take more of her time up.
Another particular theme for this grouping was the need for continuity of care: “It’s important
to have continuity of health workers to give mothers confidence. Seeing the same midwife and
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