ACED


a refugee himself.” But the ultimate aim is to transfer patients into mainstream general practice with a comprehensive health summary and a record of ongoing treatment needs.


WAITING IN LIMBO


Among the perhaps less tangible benefits of the Health Inclusion Clinic is a particular understanding of the refugee experience. Dr Munir started working with vulnerable migrants after finishing her GP training in 2010. She spent time in a Ugandan refugee camp as part of a diploma course in tropical medicine and hygiene and on her return volunteered at a clinic for refugees and asylum seekers run by Doctors of the World, as well as writing medico-legal reports for the charity Freedom from Torture. Dr Preston also started as a volunteer and has taught primary care in Nepal. “Often the asylum system can be long and


protracted and people get stuck in it,” says Dr Munir. “It’s horrible for a lot of our patients – waiting in limbo for such a long time. They are not allowed to work and are only given a minimal amount of money to live on, so they can’t start rebuilding their lives. One of our patients works as a volunteer in one of the soup kitchens because he used to be a chef. He cooks every week. I can see that’s the thing he lives for – just to be able to cook for people and see them get joy from his cooking. On other days he’s really depressed.” Sometimes the scale of need can seem


overwhelming as the flood of displaced persons into Europe and the UK grows year on year. In the first quarter of 2017 the total number of asylum seekers including dependants receiving UK government support was 39,365, an increase of 10 per cent over the previous year. Says Dr Preston: “We would love to be open more days, to expand and take more referrals as it is likely there are many more patients who could benefit from our


service. Unfortunately, within the NHS there are limitations in funding and space available to us, but we hope we can move forward with this in the future.” Among those vulnerable migrants who are


seen by the clinic there is almost universal gratitude – as expressed by one patient. “You give me hope. You are the family I


didn’t have for a while.” Jim Killgore is managing editor of Insight


MDDUS INSIGHT / 11


Main picture: migrants coming ashore at Lesbos in Greece after a traumatic journey. Below: part of the team at the Health Inclusion Clinic with Dr Shazia Munir on the far right. Inset opposite: Dr Shazia Munir and Dr Emma Preston (right) at the BMJ Awards.


Photograph: Health Inclusion Clinic


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