Improving adult social care for ethnic minority communities

Following our report on the experiences of ethnic minority communities in North Yorkshire, the council has said it is developing a clear plan to respond to what people told us.

The report highlighted a range of barriers, including language difficulties, lack of awareness of support, concerns about whether care would respect cultural and religious needs, and a lack of trust in some cases.

Some people also described challenges with communication, delays in responses, and difficulty understanding who to contact or what would happen next.

The report also showed the important role of family, community groups and faith settings in supporting people.

In response, the council says it is reviewing how support currently works and where it can be improved or made more consistent.

Below is a summary of what the council says it is doing so far.

Providing care that respects people’s backgrounds and needs

The council says care should be shaped around each person. This means recognising and respecting people’s culture, religion and personal preferences.

Care providers are expected to spend time with local communities so they understand what good care looks like for different people and build this into how support is delivered.

A recent inspection found that staff already have a good understanding of different communities and their needs. The council now wants to build on this by putting clear improvement plans in place, setting long term priorities, improving how the quality of care is checked, and increasing support and training for staff.

People also told us that seeing different staff can make it harder to build trust, especially for those with dementia or mental health needs. Work is now underway to improve continuity, so people are more likely to see the same worker where possible and understand who to contact if things change. 

Care providers are checked by national inspectors, and the council carries out its own checks to make sure care and support meet expected standards. The council and care providers also meet regularly to go through what is working well and agree what needs to improve.

Improving communication and access to information

The report found that people are not always aware of what support is available or how to access it, especially where language is a barrier.

In response, the council says information should be available in different languages and formats, including both digital and non digital options.

The council already pays for translation and interpreting and provides training for staff on how to use them. It will continue to remind staff to use these services and promote training so staff feel confident using them.

It is also reviewing whether information is translated clearly and shared in ways people can easily find and use, including improving how adult social care information is presented on the council’s website.

People also told us that forms and digital systems can be difficult to use. In response, more support is being introduced to help people complete forms and access services online, including support in libraries and local access points.

We have already seen some changes following wider work on adult social care. Services have introduced clearer response times, automated replies when people get in touch, and more regular updates so people are not left waiting without knowing what is happening.

Follow up calls are now used more consistently to check if people’s needs have changed and make sure support is still right for them. 

There are also plans to improve the information people receive, including clearer written information about who is involved in their care, what different roles mean, and what will happen next. This will include more accessible formats and clearer contact details so people know who to speak to. 

Sharing positive experiences of care

People told us that hearing about good experiences of care could help build trust and confidence.

The council already collects examples of good care and uses these in reports and staff learning. It now wants to share more real life stories through community groups, faith settings and local organisations.

The aim is to help people feel more confident about asking for support when they need it.

Training staff and improving workforce diversity

The report highlighted the importance of staff understanding different cultures, beliefs and experiences.

The council is reviewing its training to understand what is already in place and where it needs to improve. This includes how staff are trained to understand different cultures, beliefs and experiences, and whether new training or guidance is needed.

It has also joined a national programme focused on improving experiences for staff from ethnic minority backgrounds and creating fair workplaces.

The care workforce in North Yorkshire is becoming more diverse, with around one in five staff now identifying as being from an ethnic minority background.

To support staff whose first language is not English, new free English language courses have been introduced for those working in health and care.

There are also wider challenges affecting the workforce, including changes to visa rules and ongoing issues with pay and conditions across the care sector. National changes are expected, but these will take time.

Working with communities and supporting local groups

The report showed how important community groups and faith settings are in supporting people and helping them access social care.

The council says it is working with local organisations to strengthen this support. This includes helping communities organise their own support networks, working with voluntary groups and local organisations, and building stronger links with faith groups so people can access information and support in places they trust.

This work includes a programme focused on supporting migrant communities, while also benefiting longer established communities.

One example is the Swift programme, which supports people who have moved to North Yorkshire by providing information, advice and connections to local support and community groups. This helps people better understand how things work, access support earlier and feel more confident finding the help they need.

The council is also working with others to identify where people are not currently able to access support, expand support that is already helping people, and help more people access health checks and screening.

The aim is to reach people who may not currently be connected to care or support.

Supporting voluntary organisations to better meet people’s needs

The council is developing a practical guide to help voluntary organisations better support people from different backgrounds.

This will include advice on communicating with people who do not speak English, understanding cultural and religious needs including food, and explaining social care in clear, simple ways so people feel comfortable asking for help.

This work is being developed with Community First Yorkshire and will build on existing support already in place.

Response from North Yorkshire Council

“North Yorkshire Council welcomes the Healthwatch report on the views and experiences of people from ethnic minority backgrounds across the county who use adult social care.

We asked for this work to help us better understand how well our services meet the needs of everyone in our communities. We are grateful to everyone who shared their experiences, as well as those working in care who contributed.

We are already acting based on the report’s recommendations. Where possible, we want to work directly with communities and other organisations to develop solutions together.

This includes working closely with different teams across the council and other organisations to make sure work is joined up. 

We are also building on existing projects that are already making a positive difference, including work to support migrant communities.

We continue to work with others across the county and nationally to share learning and improve how we support people from different backgrounds.”