Health advice for Highland Poles

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Migrant workers will be offered advice on how to register with a GP at an information day in the Highlands.

It has been claimed that thousands of Poles are self-medicating because they are too embarrassed to go to a doctor.

The Inverness Polish Association claimed many did not want to explain their illness through an interpreter.

Highland Council is involved in the information day in Dingwall, Easter Ross, on 24 May, when advice on banks will also be available.

Mary Rhind, lead manager of the council's English as Second or other Language (Esol) provision, said a similar event held in Inverness last year was successful.

Not registered

How to access health care, banking and postal services will be among the main topics during the event.

Earlier this month, Zosia Wierbowicz-Fraser, chairwoman of the Inverness Polish Association, claimed about 2,500 of the 8,000 Poles living in the Highlands were not registered with a GP.

Easter Ross is home to one of the area's largest Polish communities outside of Inverness.

Behind Poles, Lithuanians, Latvians and Filipinos make up the Highlands other large migrant communities.