Access to healthcare for vulnerable migrants (refugees asylum seekers)

Healthwatch Redbridge commissioned Refugee and Migrant Forum Essex & London (RAMFEL) to look into issues around access to healthcare for vulnerable migrants. In particular we were asked to look at - Ensuring people have access to the right health and care services they need to stay well. RAMFEL works with a range of vulnerable migrants that have different entitlements to healthcare along with varying needs.

9 individuals gave in depth interviews regarding their experience of accessing healthcare and 11 people (separate to the in-depth interviews) completed questionnaires as part of this small research project. We have added anonymous case studies based on individuals we have worked with. They also spoke to staff of RAMFEL and other organisations in Redbridge regarding their experience of supporting clients who had difficulty accessing healthcare.

The findings informed vulnerable migrants are for a range of reasons finding it difficult to access the right health and care services they need to stay well. Most of them are finding their way to services eventually although this sample group are undoubtedly affected by the fact that they are linked in with a service that helps them to access healthcare. From the different difficulties that we have found.