Hackathon designs app to help migrants navigate the NHS
News from the Web
"Last month digital technology consultant Zainab Ibrahim was one of 100-plus developers, designers and NHS staff who took part in a two-day hackathon – where coders collaborate to create new software over a short time period – to design tools to help migrants navigate the health service in the UK. Originally from Iraq, Ibrahim knows only too well how confusing the NHS can be when you are new to the country.
One particular memory sticks out; 10 years ago when she first arrived as a student, she felt ill so went to her nearest doctor’s surgery but there weren’t any appointments free until the following week. Confused, she explained to the receptionist that she felt ill right now, not next week. Back home, seeing your doctor was a far simpler process. The time-poor receptionist barked that she should go to the nearest “walk-in”, but to Ibrahim, who wasn’t fluent in English at the time, the phrase meant nothing. Looking around, she asked where she should walk in to and was met with a rude rebuff."
