The West Midlands Strategic Migration Partnership (WMSMP) in partnership with the Heart of Birmingham Teaching Primary Care Trust (HOBtPCT) have produced the report "Narrowing the Gap: Improving health pathways for asylum seekers dispersed from initial accommodation in the UKBA Midlands & East of England region".

The provision of healthcare for asylum seekers is a major concern as many will not have had access to healthcare for some time if they have travelled large distances by irregular means or have come from a country with only basic healthcare provision. As such, asylum seekers may have specific health needs which will require the attention of PCTs in order for these needs to be met.

 

Key findings from the report include a need for more consistent and higher quality information sharing between UKBA, the initial accommodation health team and PCTs and the need for PCTs that do not have a specific lead responsible for asylum health needs to create such a lead.

 

Recommendations from the report include a daily update from UKBA to initial accommodation health providers of new arrivals, that the initial accommodation health team should identify vulnerable clients and liase with PCT leads on asylum seekers to ensure that their health needs are met and the regular monitoring of the referral process to ensure its continuing development.

 

The report can be accessed in our library.