Refugees and people seeking asylum’s access to GP services in Northern Ireland 

Our new report, Refugees and people seeking asylum’s access to GP services in Northern Ireland, sets out findings from our research on the challenges refugees and people seeking asylum can face when accessing GP services. 

General Practitioners (GPs) are often the first point of contact in the health and social care system, providing essential treatment, assessments and referrals.   

However, a range of barriers can often restrict refugees and people seeking asylum’s access to these vital services. To understand these barriers and identify how they can be addressed, the British Red Cross undertook research with people with lived experience and frontline practitioners. 

Illustration of a doctor talking to a patient

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Key findings

Some of the issues identified through our research include:

  • Booking appointments: People we spoke to reported having difficulties booking GP appointments either by telephone or in person. This was for a number of reasons, including language barriers and challenges navigating automatic telephone systems. 
  • Language barriers: Some people we spoke to had positive experiences of receiving in-person and/or telephone interpreter support. However, this support is not always provided for refugees and people seeking asylum as they may not be aware of their right to request an interpreter or GP staff may not proactively offer to arrange such support.   
  • Information support: Many participants highlighted the lack of accessible information they received regarding GP services and the wider health and social care system after their arrival in Northern Ireland. Instead, we found evidence of people relying on friends, family or people they were living with to provide such information. 

 

Our recommendations

Our recommendations include:

  • The Department of Health should pilot a specialist service for people seeking asylum that provides person-centred, tailored information support and casework to enable greater access to health and social care services in Northern Ireland. 
  • Asylum accommodation providers should share written and verbal information on accessing GP services with people seeking asylum soon after they have settled into their accommodation. This information should be accessible, translated as necessary and staff should be available to provide any further support required.
  • The Department of Health should ensure GP staff are trained in booking and working with interpreters, including telephone interpreters. 

 

Contact

For more information, please contact Stephen Browne at StephenBrowne@redcross.org.uk