PLANS to launch a counselling service for black and Asian residents in Redditch are being drawn up following a huge health research project, writes Becky Procter.

Redditch Primary Care Group's taskforce which focuses on ethnic minority groups is due to publish the results of the health survey at the end of this month.

The research looked at health problems faced by ethnic minority groups, including language barriers and how they felt doctors and hospitals treated them.

Councillor Betty Passingham, who sits on the PCG task force, said: "We worked with various focus groups, West Indians, Muslims and Bangladeshis.

"We looked at a whole range of health issues and the problems they had, the illnesses they suffered from, the advice and treatment they get from doctors and hospitals and any language problems they encountered."

The study was orchestrated by Redditch Council and performed by the West Midlands Health Research Unit.

Mrs Passingham said the main illnesses affecting ethnic minority groups were thalassaemia, sickle cell, diabetes and mental illness.

She said: "We are having a seminar at the town hall on April 2 because of the things which came out of the research. We will be concentrating on the issues which concerned us most.

"And we hope that with the information we now have, things will be improved and we want to take forward a case for Worcestershire Health Authority to fund a counselling service."