Impact of national policy on the health of people seeking asylum.
Recent Department of Health policy has modified the stage in the application process that people seeking asylum are entitled to free NHS health care. This has caused confusion, not only among asylum seekers and settled refugees, but also among healthcare professionals. In turn, this has led to increased difficulty for people seeking asylum in accessing healthcare services. This article identifies when in the process asylum seekers are entitled to free NHS care. It considers how current legislation and the government stance on immigration are having a negative effect on the health of people seeking asylum while they are in the U.K., and to what extent nurses and other health professionals can help.
Joels
Claire
C
University of Essex, Colchester. cjoels@essex.ac.uk
D004608:Eligibility Determination; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006291:Health Policy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012036:Refugees / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006113:United Kingdom