British Red Cross and Migrant Health Research Group at St George’s, University of London, provide practical guidance on improving healthcare
A report published last month by the British Red Cross reveals that people seeking asylum in England often face significant barriers to accessing adequate healthcare, despite their complex health needs. It identifies challenges such as language barriers, digital exclusion, and a lack of understanding of healthcare entitlements and services.
The 64-page report, Delivering with Dignity: A Framework for Strengthening Commissioning and Provision of Healthcare Services for People Seeking Asylum, can be downloaded here.
Research for the report was conducted in collaboration with the Migrant Health Research Group at St George's Hospital, University of London. The research process was highly collaborative, involving people with lived experience of seeking asylum as peer researchers, alongside healthcare professionals, local authorities, and Integrated Care Boards. Workshop discussions were held with over 60 participants to shape the report's recommendations.
The report emphasizes the urgent need for better healthcare support for asylum seekers, who often encounter discrimination in healthcare settings and struggle to navigate the system due to inadequate translation services and a lack of accessible information.
The report states: "People seeking asylum encounter unique healthcare challenges, shaped by their experiences before, during and after migration. They encounter multiple, intersecting barriers to healthcare access upon arrival to the UK and while in the asylum system. These include a lack of information about and understanding of the NHS, leading to difficulties navigating the health system and uncertainties about their entitlements; experiences of destitution restricting the ability to travel to appointments; digital exclusion resulting in exclusion from rapidly digitalising services; and language barriers that impede communication and understanding from staff in the health system."
Delivering with Dignity aims to address the healthcare challenges faced by asylum seekers through a framework that provides practical guidance for healthcare providers, commissioners, and policymakers. The framework outlines five pillars of good practice: working in partnership, upskilling the workforce, valuing lived experience, maximizing data for action, and strengthening pathways to care. These recommendations are designed to improve service provision and policy development at both local and national levels.
As the report highlights, while there are examples of excellent practice across the UK, a national framework is needed to ensure equitable access to healthcare for asylum seekers. By implementing the recommendations outlined in the framework, the report suggests that the healthcare system can better address the needs of this vulnerable population and ensure that they receive the care they are entitled to.
St George's Hospital Migrant Health Research Group said: "We know that asylum seekers and refugees arriving in England face a myriad of barriers to accessing the healthcare they need. However, many of these barriers are preventable. This collaborative research, which brings together the voices of people with lived experience of the asylum system as well as healthcare commissioners, providers and policymakers, provides practical guidance on improving healthcare access as well as highlighting the 'pockets of excellence' that already exist around the country. As such, this report can serve as a guide for policymakers and healthcare providers to improve healthcare provision for this crucial group."