Healthwatch Hackney wins award for making it easier for refugees to see a GP

Healthwatch Hackney has won a national award, which celebrates the difference made by local Healthwatch staff and volunteers to improve NHS and care services. 

The health and social champion for the London Borough of Hackney received the award for improving access to GP services for local refugees, asylum seekers and other residents. 

Healthwatch Bolton, Healthwatch Brighton and Hove, Healthwatch South Gloucestershire and Healthwatch Sunderland were also highly commended for their projects that used people's experiences to improve care and lead to outstanding outcomes.

What did the award winner do?  

When you're unwell and need help, your GP may be one of the first places you go. However, for refugees, migrants, and people who are homeless, accessing basic care can be difficult if services ask to see documents such as passports or proof of address to register. 

Healthwatch Hackney found this issue was affecting people in their community, with some telling them the NHS had refused them Covid-19 vaccinations because they were not registered with a GP.  

To investigate the issue further, the local Healthwatch contacted 39 GP practices in their area to ask about their registration requirements for new patients. 

NHS guidelines say you do not have to provide proof of address or ID to register with a GP. However, Healthwatch Hackney found that 59% of local GP practices asked for proof of identity, and over two-thirds (69%) asked people for proof of address to register. 

Healthwatch Hackney raised this issue with local NHS leaders, who immediately told each GP practice they must not demand ID or proof of address to register new patients. 

Thanks to this work, most local practices now have the correct registration policy, making it easier for patients to access a GP. 

Healthwatch Hackney also worked to increase people's understanding of their rights to access primary care services and interpreting support. They focused on groups with recent arrivals to the UK, such as the Chinese, Turkish and Somali communities, and organisations that work with migrants, refugees and homeless people. 

Presenting the Healthwatch Impact Award, the Chair of Healthwatch England, Sir Robert Francis KC, said:

"It's an honour to announce Healthwatch Hackney as the winner of this year's Healthwatch Impact Award. The award recognises Healthwatch Hackney for having a positive and tangible impact on people in their local area. Everyone at Healthwatch Hackney should be proud of how they've helped to ensure more vulnerable people in their borough can see a GP.

"But this award is also a testament to the local people who were prepared to speak up and the health professionals who listened. It just shows what can be achieved when we work together to improve care.

"This year's award was harder than ever to judge because of the high quality of the nominations. In my four years as Chair, Healthwatch teams across England have gone from strength to strength. People's feedback is at the heart of our work, and it has been an enormous pleasure to see how Healthwatch uses the voices and experiences of people to improve the health of the wider community."