scholarly journals Access to primary health care for asylum seekers and refugees: a qualitative study of service user experiences in the UK

2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (685) ◽  
pp. e537-e545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cara Kang ◽  
Louise Tomkow ◽  
Rebecca Farrington

BackgroundAsylum seekers and refugees (ASR) face difficulty accessing health care in host countries. In 2017, NHS charges for overseas visitors were extended to include some community care for refused asylum seekers. There is growing concern that this will increase access difficulties, but no recent research has documented the lived experiences of ASR accessing UK primary health care.AimTo examine ASR experiences accessing primary health care in the UK in 2018.Design and settingThis was a qualitative community-based study. ASR were recruited by criterion-based sampling through voluntary community organisations.MethodA total of 18 ASR completed face-to-face semi-structured recorded interviews discussing primary care access. Transcripts underwent thematic analysis by three researchers using Penchansky and Thomas’s modified theory of access.ResultsThe qualitative data show that participants found primary care services difficult to navigate and negotiate. Dominant themes included language barriers and inadequate interpretation services; lack of awareness of the structure and function of the NHS; difficulty meeting the costs of dental care, prescription fees, and transport to appointments; and the perception of discrimination relating to race, religion, and immigration status.ConclusionBy centralising the voices of ASR and illustrating the negative consequences of poor healthcare access, this article urges consideration of how access to primary care in the UK can be enhanced for often marginalised individuals with complex needs.

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (S1) ◽  
pp. 102-103
Author(s):  
Charles Yan ◽  
Bing Guo ◽  
Paula Corabian

Introduction:Population growth, epidemiological and demographic transition, and a shortage of healthcare workers are affecting health care systems in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US). Community paramedicine (CP) programs provide a bridge between primary care and emergency care to address the needs of patients with low acuity but lack of access to primary care. However, how to capture the key characteristics of these programs and present them in a meaningful way is still a challenge. The objective of this presentation is to identify and describe the characteristics of currently existing CP programs in the four countries to inform policy-making on CP program development in Alberta.Methods:Information was obtained from systematic reviews, health technology assessments, general reviews, and government documents identified through a comprehensive literature search. The characteristics of the CP programs are described using a framework originally developed in Australia with three categories: (i) the primary health care model, (ii) the health integration model (in Australia, called the substitution model), and (iii) the community coordination model.Results:In general, Australia emphasizes rural/remote paramedics, whereas Canada, the UK, and the US implement expanded paramedic practice within different environments including rural, remote, regional, and metropolitan settings. Extended care provider programs have been intensively investigated and widely implemented in the UK. While the identified CP programs vary in terms of program components, designation of providers, skill mix, target population, and funding model, the majority of these CP programs fall under the primary health care category of the Australian framework.Conclusions:Transitioning from hospital-based to community-based health care requires careful consideration of all key factors that could contribute to future program success. Delineating key components of CP programs using the Australian framework will help Alberta decision-makers design, develop, and implement appropriate CP programs that adequately address local needs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 138-144
Author(s):  
Sally Kendall

Abstract This editorial describes how research in primary health care can be used to influence policy. It draws on previous literature to give an example from the UK of how research in one part of primary care, the health-visiting service, has endeavoured to use evidence to influence policy and practice. The editorial considers frameworks for policy implementation such as Bardach’s eight phase approach and concepts that can inform policy implementation such as Lipsky’s Street-Level Bureaucrat approach.


2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Meads

The rapid increase in frontline service outlets offering Wellbeing services offers new opportunities to promote public health. However, driven by both economic and social policies closely linked to the needs for both new business development and cultural integration, the expansion in organisational practices also carries it with some risks to public health. In more market oriented health systems these include possible negative consequences for both the longitudinal care provided through general medical practices and the application of evidence based medicine. In this context the scoping review draws on indicative findings from fieldwork in two international exemplar sites in the UK and Australia, where the concept of Wellbeing is being embedded, to identify priorities for future health policy and management research. The analysis is framed by the WHO’s enduring core principles for Primary Health Care, with the data capture employing an ethnographic approach that includes key informant interviews in Melbourne over a six months period in 2015/16. The findings include an unexpected emphasis on the need for knowledge in respect of the communities of interest and practice forming around novel therapies and interventions that assert public health values.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 10
Author(s):  
Mark Timlin ◽  
Alana Russo ◽  
Jacquie McBride

Asylum seekers and refugees experience poorer health than the broader Australian population. Universal primary healthcare services play an integral role in supporting and optimising the health and wellbeing of these communities. However, clinical-level issues frequently compromise the quality of care provided to these groups. The ‘GP Engagement’ initiative, implemented in the south-eastern region of Melbourne, aimed to build capacity within universal primary health care to respond to the needs of asylum seekers and refugees. This involved engaging general practice clinics, resourcing them with tools and frameworks, and undertaking collaborative problem-solving on refugee issues. Evaluation methods included: rigorous record keeping; pre- and post-practice assessments guided by a self-reported ‘12-Point Checklist’; and participant feedback. Findings from 57 participating health professionals indicated changes in the way that GPs work with asylum seekers and refugees. ‘GP Engagement’ suggests that it is possible to build primary healthcare responsiveness to asylum seekers and refugees through a strategic regional approach that is firmly grounded in evidence-based practice and considerate of the requirements and constraints of GPs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
L F Pinto ◽  
D Soranz ◽  
L J Santos ◽  
M S Paranhos ◽  
L S Malta ◽  
...  

Abstract Brazil is divided into five administrative regions, 27 federation units and 5,570 municipalities. Mato Grosso do Sul is one of the states located in the Midwest region and has 1.6 million km2 and a resident population of 2.8 million inhabitants, that is, it has an even lower demographic density than its region - only 7.8 inhabitants/km2. Mato Grosso do Sul has part of the Pantanal, a biome considered the largest continuous floodplain in the world, rich in biodiversity. For this reason, displacements for data collection in household surveys combine roads and rivers. In 2019, the Brazilian National Institute of Geography and Statistics (Istituto Nazionale di Statistica del Brasile) in partnership with the Ministry of Health launched the world's largest household sample survey, the National Health Survey (PNS-2019), in which part of its questions included the use of Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT, adult version), created by professors Barbara Starfield and Leiyu Shi in the 2000s. IBGE interviewers visited more than 100,000 households across the country. In Mato Grosso do Sul, more than 3,000 households were surveyed. In this work, we present the data collection instrument used by IBGE and its multiple analysis possibilities in the scope of primary health care, crossing the variables from other questionnaire modules in order to compare the results from Brazil with the state of Mato Grosso do Sul and its capital, Campo Grande. Developing a baseline and measuring the attributes of primary health care in each of the Brazilian states is another step towards giving health policy accountability, towards strong primary care. IBGE's experience in household surveys and innovation in data collection in primary care is an example for the world that yes, it is possible to develop statistically representative national sample surveys and make them perennial in their regular household surveys, by the time World Health Organization (WHO) discusses universal health coverage. Key messages Evaluation of primary care using an internationally validated instrument is possible on national bases with random household sample surveys. A questionnaire elaborated academically can be used as an instrument of public policy to evaluate nationwide health services.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Pinto ◽  
J V Santos ◽  
M Lobo ◽  
J Viana ◽  
J Souza ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In Portugal, there are different organizational models in primary health care (PHC), mainly regarding the payment scheme. USF-B is the only type with financial incentives to the professional (pay-for-performance). Our goal was to assess the relationship between groups of primary healthcare centres (ACES) with higher proportion of patients within USF-B model and the rate of avoidable hospitalizations, as proxy of primary care quality. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study considering the 55 ACES from mainland Portugal, in 2017. We used data from public hospitalizations to calculate the prevention quality indicator (avoidable hospitalizations) adjusted for age and sex, using direct standardization. The main independent variable was the proportion of patients in one ACES registered in the USF-B model. Unemployment rate, proportion of patients with family doctor and presence of Local Health Unit (different organization model) within ACES were also considered. The association was assessed by means of a linear regression model. Results Age-sex adjusted PQI value varied between 490 and 1715 hospitalizations per 100,000 inhabitants across ACES. We observed a significant effect of the proportion of patients within USF-B in the crude PQI rate (p = 0.001). However, using the age-sex adjusted PQI, there was not a statistical significant association (p = 0.504). This last model was also adjusted for confounding variables and the association remains non-significant (p = 0.865). Conclusions Our findings suggest that, when adjusting for age and sex, there is no evidence that ACES with more patients enrolled in a pay-for-performance model is associated with higher quality of PHC (using avoidable hospitalizations as proxy). Further studies addressing individual data should be performed. This work was financed by FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 - POCI, and by Portuguese funds through FCT in the framework of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030766 “1st.IndiQare”. Key messages Adjusting PQI to sex and age seems to influence its value more than the type of organizational model of primary health care. Groups of primary healthcare centres with more units under the pay-for-performance scheme was not associated with different rate of avoidable hospitalizations.


2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 419-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabete Pimenta Araujo Paz ◽  
Pedro Miguel Santos Dinis Parreira ◽  
Alexandrina de Jesus Serra Lobo ◽  
Rosilene Rocha Palasson ◽  
Sheila Nascimento Pereira de Farias

Objective To develop the cross-cultural validation and assessment of the psychometric properties of the Questionnaire about the quality and satisfaction dimensions of patients with primary health care. Methods Methodological cultural adaptation and assessment study of the psychometric properties, involving 398 users from a primary care service. The construct validity was verified through principal components factor analysis and internal consistency assessment as determined by Cronbach’s alpha, using SPSS. Results A factorial structure was identified that is equivalent to the original instrument, showing six factors that explain 70.81% of the total variance. All internal consistency coefficients were higher than 0.84, indicating appropriate psychometric properties. Conclusion The results show that the Brazilian Portuguese version of the instrument is culturally and linguistically appropriate to assess the satisfaction of users attended in primary care services.


2018 ◽  
pp. 67-87
Author(s):  
John Fry ◽  
Donald Light ◽  
Jonathan Rodnick ◽  
Peter Orton

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