For many of us, accessing medical help is something we can happily rely on but for others, barriers exist, particularly if a person’s first language isn’t English and communication can be fraught and not easily translated.
Such was the case for a young Filipino man, Alberto*, who was attempting to enrol into a medical centre, only to be told by two practices that they were not enrolling new patients. That was, in fact, incorrect, leaving the young man in a predicament. Without professional support, it was highly likely he may have seen the barriers to accessing medical care to be too significant. If this was to happen, then what would the consequences be if he needed medical assistance? A visit to the Emergency Department? Becoming more unwell because early intervention was unable to be sought?
