Failed asylum seekers and primary care
BMJ 2006; 333 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/sbmj.0609342 (Published 01 September 2006) Cite this as: BMJ 2006;333:0609342
- Lucy Carter, third year medical student1
- 1King's College London School of Medicine
The United Kingdom, as a signatory to the 1951 United Nations Convention on the Status of Refugees and the 1967 Protocol,1 has acknowledged the plight of people suffering persecution in their country of residence and pledged to provide asylum to those deemed in need of protection.
During the asylum determination process, applicants are granted full access to the United Kingdom's health service, primary and secondary services. Indeed, in recognition of the particular healthcare needs of asylum seekers in the UK, a number of NHS primary care trusts have established dedicated primary medical services tailored to this group.2 What though, of those whose claims for asylum are declined by the Home Office? How closely must the Home Office and the NHS align their approach to this group?
Who is a failed asylum seeker?
An applicant for asylum whose claim is rejected by the Home Office and who has exhausted all avenues of appeal against the decision is considered a “failed asylum seeker.” At this point, accommodation and financial support provided by the National Asylum Support Service during the asylum determination process are withdrawn. Ineligible to seek employment, many thousands of failed asylum seekers are made destitute each year, and many depend upon charities to secure even basic food and accommodation. Failed asylum applicants might find themselves living in this uncertainty for many months or longer because “assisted returns” and enforced deportations are lengthy administrative processes, often complicated by the political and humanitarian instability in the destination country.
Access to healthcare and proposals for change
Currently, general practitioners can, at their own discretion, register failed asylum applicants as new or temporary residents. In this way, they can continue to provide care for failed …
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