The Refugee Co-Location Model may be useful in addressing refugee barriers to care. What do refugees think?
Michael Au
A B E , Robyn Preston B C , Robin A. Ray B and Meg Davis D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Western Sydney Local Health District, NSW, Australia.
B College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Qld, Australia.
C School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Qld, Australia.
D Townsville Multicultural Support Group, Townsville, Qld, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: michael.au@my.jcu.edu.au
Australian Journal of Primary Health 27(6) 425-426 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY21178
Submitted: 27 July 2021 Accepted: 4 November 2021 Published: 23 November 2021
Abstract
Co-location of services for refugees may be beneficial in addressing barriers to care. This model of care involves support for a specialist refugee nurse service with general practice, as well as developing partnerships with settlement support agencies and Primary Health Networks. We consider published literature on refugee perceptions of co-location, different models of care, upcoming research and priorities in the area.
Keywords: models of care, service delivery, underserved populations, minority, regional, remote, disparity, multidisciplinary.
References
Au M, Anandakumar AD, Preston R, Ray RA, Davis M (2019) A model explaining refugee experiences of the Australian healthcare system: a systematic review of refugee perceptions. BMC International Health and Human Rights 19, 22| A model explaining refugee experiences of the Australian healthcare system: a systematic review of refugee perceptions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 31319819PubMed |
Cheng IH, Vasi S, Wahidi S, Russell G (2015) Rites of passage: improving refugee access to general practice services. Australian Family Physician 44, 503–507.
Department of Social Services (2018) ‘Humanitarian Settlement in Regional Australia.’ Available at https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/settling-in-australia/humanitarian-settlement-program/about-the-program/humanitarian-settlement-regional-australia [Verified 17 July 2021]
Farley R, Askew D, Kay M (2014) Caring for refugees in general practice: perspectives from the coalface. Australian Journal of Primary Health 20, 85–91.
| Caring for refugees in general practice: perspectives from the coalface.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 23257393PubMed |
Harding C, Seal A, Duncan G, Gilmour A (2019) General practitioner and registrar involvement in refugee health: exploring needs and perceptions. Australian Health Review 43, 92–97.
| General practitioner and registrar involvement in refugee health: exploring needs and perceptions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28867004PubMed |
Johnson DR, Ziersch AM, Burgess T (2008) I don’t think general practice should be the front line: experiences of general practitioners working with refugees in South Australia. Australia and New Zealand Health Policy 5, 20
| I don’t think general practice should be the front line: experiences of general practitioners working with refugees in South Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 18687150PubMed |
McBride J, Block A, Russo A (2017) An integrated healthcare service for asylum seekers and refugees in the South-Eastern Region of Melbourne: Monash Health Refugee Health and Wellbeing. Australian Journal of Primary Health 23, 323–328.
| An integrated healthcare service for asylum seekers and refugees in the South-Eastern Region of Melbourne: Monash Health Refugee Health and Wellbeing.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28756817PubMed |
Milosevic D, Cheng IH, Smith MM (2012) The NSW Refugee Health Service – improving refugee access to primary care. Australian Family Physician 41, 147–149.
Owens C, Dandy J, Hancock P (2016) Perceptions of pregnancy experiences when using a community-based antenatal service: a qualitative study of refugee and migrant women in Perth, Western Australia. Women and Birth 29, 128–137.
| Perceptions of pregnancy experiences when using a community-based antenatal service: a qualitative study of refugee and migrant women in Perth, Western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 26410632PubMed |
Russell GM, Long K, Lewis V, Enticott JC, Gunatillaka N, Cheng IH, Marsh G, Vasi S, Advocat J, Saito S, Song H, Casey S, Smith M, Harris MF (2021) OPTIMISE: a pragmatic stepped wedge cluster randomised trial of an intervention to improve primary care for refugees in Australia. The Medical Journal of Australia 215, 420–426.
| OPTIMISE: a pragmatic stepped wedge cluster randomised trial of an intervention to improve primary care for refugees in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 34585377PubMed |
Sackey D, Jones M, Farley R (2020) Reconceptualising specialisation: integrating refugee health in primary care. Australian Journal of Primary Health 26, 452–457.
| Reconceptualising specialisation: integrating refugee health in primary care.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 33243370PubMed |
Timlin M, Russo A, McBride J (2020) Building capacity in primary health care to respond to the needs of asylum seekers and refugees in Melbourne, Australia: the ‘GP Engagement’ initiative. Australian Journal of Primary Health 26, 10–16.
| Building capacity in primary health care to respond to the needs of asylum seekers and refugees in Melbourne, Australia: the ‘GP Engagement’ initiative.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Valibhoy MC, Kaplan I, Szwarc J (2017) “It comes down to just how human someone can be”: a qualitative study with young people from refugee backgrounds about their experiences of Australian mental health services. Transcultural Psychiatry 54, 23–45.
| “It comes down to just how human someone can be”: a qualitative study with young people from refugee backgrounds about their experiences of Australian mental health services.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 27550374PubMed |
Wei K, Chopra P, Strehlow S, Stow M, Kaplan I, Szwarc J, Minas H (2021) The capacity-building role of community liaison workers with refugee communities in Victoria, Australia. International Journal of Mental Health Systems 15, 64
| The capacity-building role of community liaison workers with refugee communities in Victoria, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 34215300PubMed |
