Access to healthcare for asylum seekers and refugees

Healthwatch Stockton-On-Tees felt it was important to engage with their local asylum seeker and refugee community to gain a greater understanding of their views and experience of healthcare services in Stockton-on-Tees. Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees designed a questionnaire to gather views at local asylum seeker and refugee drop-ins.

Altogether, Healthwatch Stockton-on-Tees engaged with a total of 48 asylum seekers and refugees.

Only two participants were not registered with a GP Practice, the majority of participants were registered at the Arrival Practice, which provides a specialist service for newly arrived asylum seekers in Stockton-on-Tees. Arrival Practice has been found to be a huge benefit to asylum seekers and refugees in Stockton-on-Tees by improving access to healthcare services, interpreters and information.

When participants were asked if there are any reasons why they would not access healthcare services, the majority of participants said they felt confident in accessing services should they require to use them. None of the participants had ever been denied treatment.

When participants were asked if they knew how to access different health and social care services, the majority said they would speak to their GP. Other feedback suggested that asylum seekers and refugees would find out how to access other services by speaking to other asylum seekers and refugees.

Of the 48 people Healthwatch spoke to, a large proportion of participants gave feedback about their experiences at the University Hospital of North Tees, the majority of which was positive. Only two participants had a negative experience.

It was apparent that some participants found it difficult to register with a dentist therefore Healthwatch staff gave appropriate signposting advice. There were no recommendations due to the overwhelming amount of positive feedback about asylum seeker and refugees’ experiences of healthcare services in Stockton-on-Tees.