Asylum seekers and refugees - good practice examples

We are highlighting examples of good practice. Some of these are described in (sometimes hard to find) documents. Others have been provided by nurses working with excluded groups.

You might also like to refer to the guidance, policy and voices sections for further information on asylum seekers and refugees.
 
If you would like to send us an example of good practice please use the online form.

Hand-held health record for asylum seeking and refugee children, London Nursing and Midwifery Network

There was evidence at the time there was no consistency in how health data was gathered from asylum seeking and refugee children. As these children were often moved across the country, the process of obtaining vital health information was unnecessarily repeated.

A hand-held record was developed by the group. It was based on the 'Red Book'. The record was found to be so useful to practitioners and professionals that the Department of Health adopted it for national use. This can be found on the DH/DCFS web site and is available in some other languages (Department of Health 2007). We have not done a survey to check how well it is being used, but know that it is used and that it is downloaded for use.

The group of children’s nurses who did this work with help from nurses who worked with this excluded community was amazing. We had no idea that something so small done for use in London would then be adopted for national use. We have proof of it being taken for use in another country. We also believe that the book may be adapted for use with the Traveller community.

Example kindly provided by Marcelle de Sousa, Co-Chair Children and Young People's Group, London Nursing and Midwifery Network.

References

Department of Health (2007) Patient-held record for asylum seekers and refugees. Department of Health website.

ASSIST service Leicester Primary Care Trust

The ASSIST Service, commissioned by Leicester City PCT, is one of only a few services in the UK solely dedicated to the primary health care provision for asylum seekers. It was established in 2004 as a nurse led primary care service for all new asylum seekers, destitute asylum seekers and those asylum seekers in the UK before the New Asylum Model (Leicester PCT 2007). The following outline of the service is based on information from an account of the service three years on from its foundation, which is made available on The Integration of Refugees: positive practice for health professionals website (Home Office nd), and the outcomes of a peer review of the ASSIST service and other Leicester City PCT services targeting health inequalities (Race for Life 2008).

The ASSIST Service provides care for over 90 per cent of asylum seekers and approximately 65 per cent of destitute asylum seekers within Leicester, with a further 16 per cent receiving health care from GPs elsewhere. Evidence suggests that this vulnerable group see ASSIST as an accessible service as a far higher proportion of asylum seekers seek help from ASSIST than comparable national figures. Staff have gained a specialist knowledge of issues particular to this group, and have combined a holistic approach with cultural sensitivity to establish a trusting and welcoming environment. The staff have also worked closely with all stakeholders and have built up close relations with community groups and with Refugee Action and the Red Cross who ensure those accessing the service get the support and care that they need. The agencies meet regularly to discuss how well the system is working.

ASSIST has developed a care pathway along with the Common Mental Health Problem Service, that has significantly reduced referrals to secondary care. The service offers health screening as part of a comprehensive health assessment clients receive on registering with the service. This includes HIV and hepatitis and cervical screening, and uptake is high. ASSIST also offers a consultant midwifery service and provides help to victims of female genital mutilation. The employment of a health visitor has facilitated a systematic approach to keeping track of children with significant medical and social problems.

The service won the Strategic Health Service award for innovation in primary care in 2005.

Lewisham Refugee Network 

The network offers free, independent and confidential advice and information on issues such as immigration, health, housing, education, welfare benefits, training and employment. Specific projects and areas of work are described in the Voluntary Action Lewisham website (Voluntary Action Lewisham 2011). A health project aims to help refugees and asylum seekers with access to medical practitioners and raise awareness on healthy lifestyles including organising activities to support this. A project for refugee and asylum-seeking women provides counselling and therapeutic support to vulnerable women who are victims of trafficking, domestic and sexual abuse.

The network also facilitates the development of the Lewisham Refugee Forum which is a forum of refugee community organisations which also liaises with similar organisations in Lewisham and the neighbouring boroughs.

For further information see Lewisham Refugee Network.

References

Most of the items in the reference list are available online. They were last accessed on 21 July 2011. Some of them are in PDF format - see how to access PDF files.

Home Office (nd) Accessing services case studies: The ASSIST Service: A client needs-led model. The Integration of Refugees. Positive practice for health professionals website.

Leicester City PCT (2007) The ASSIST Service: Third Annual Report. Leicester: NHS Leicester City.

Race for Life (2008) Leicester City PCT peer review targeted interventions: outcome paper (PDF 287.59KB). Manchester: Race for Health. 

Voluntary Action Lewisham (2011) Lewisham Refugee Network. VAL website.