LANGUAGE is the biggest barrier for ethnic minority groups trying to access health services in Redditch, a study has revealed.

Redditch Community Relations Council and the All Women's House in Smallwood carried out the research as part of Redditch Primary Care Group's health improvement programme.

Councillor Betty Passingham, who sits on the PCG working party for black and ethnic minority groups, is now calling for a health liaison officer to be based in the town.

She said: "The research asked people how they felt about the access they had to health services and the main problem was the language.

"They could not understand the doctors and the doctors could not understand them.

''Some doctors speak Urdu, but there are 5,000 people from different ethnic minority groups in Redditch."

Mrs Passingham said the study would be completed by the beginning of next month and a case for a multi-lingual health worker in Redditch would be put to Worcestershire Health Authority and Redditch PCG.

She added: "Somebody who speaks different languages should be on call.

''The problem for many Asian women is they can only visit the doctor with their children or husbands.

"And I asked a husband the other day if he was embarrassed about seeing the doctor with his wife. He said 'no', but that doesn't mean she wasn't."

The CRC is holding a health day targeted at ethnic minority groups at the town hall on Saturday.

A number of workshops highlighting problem areas, such as thalassaemia and sickle cell anaemia, are set to take place.

Visitors will also be treated to traditional Asian and West Indian cuisine.