Doctor praised for pioneering work

A new women-only clinic has opened at the Chadwick Clinic at Dewsbury and District Hospital. It enables women of all backgrounds to speak to a female doctor in confidence about a range of issues related to sexual health. It is led by Dr Safia Jabeen and her team. (D544D328)

Dr Safia Jabeen has been named Patient Champion of the Year at the Regional NHS Leadership Recognition Awards for Yorkshire and the Humber.

She earned the accolade for her work at the women-only Chandni Clinic at Dewsbury and District Hospital.

The clinic aims to give females from all backgrounds in the area the chance to talk to a female doctor in their own language.

Director of patient charity Healthwatch Kirklees Rory Deighton said: “We worked with Dr Jabeen earlier this year as we tried to understand cervical screening messages in South Asian communities.

“Her skill in identifying how to communicate difficult messages in a way that was relevant and engaging to her patients was fantastic, and we’re really pleased she has received this recognition.”

The Chandni Clinic was set up in summer 2013 following research in 2007 which suggested 70 per cent of local Asian women had no concept of sexual health.

The issue was particularly sensitive for many because of complex religious, cultural and language issues.

A range of leaflets in Urdu produced by the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust had led to a significant increase in Asian women attending the centre, but almost all wanted to see a female doctor or nurse.

Dr Jabeen also recently won Doctor of the Year at the Yorkshire Evening Post Best of Health Awards and the clinic the Adult Sexual Health Service or Project of the Year 2014 at the UK Sexual Health Awards.