What we offer?
Derman Health Advocacy Services open up access routes to public services by facilitating linguistic and cultural communication and a two-way information flow between service providers and their patients.
- It is about including the presently excluded.
- Advocates support of both patients and carers, ensuring that their viewpoints are known whilst also interpreting for them in their consultations with the relevant service providers.
- Interpreting is only a small part of what we do, we are also there to enable and empower patients from Kurdish, Turkish and Cypriot Turkish backgrounds to make informed choices, to challenge discrimination where it exists and to assist health professionals in understanding the needs, aspirations, expectations and wishes of the Kurdish, Turkish, Turkish Cypriot and EU Turkish patients.
- Our communities do not only have a language barrier but not knowing the British system also stands in their way.
- We advise clients on the availability of health and social care services, the options available to them as well as their rights and responsibilities regarding these services.
- If we are unable to deal with any issues ourselves, we make referrals to the appropriate agencies.
- We do follow up work for our clients such as making/chasing-up hospital appointments or ensuring there will be adequate language support available at the time of the appointment.