Dr Yasir Hameed (MRCPsych, PgCert Clin Edu, FHEA)Specialist Registrar

Old Age & General Adult PsychiatryNorfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

My experience as a refugee doctor

Brain Drain

Older refugees and immigrants

I was born in Baghdad, Iraq in 1978

Father was away serving as an army officer most of my childhood.

Witnessed the Iraq Iranian war (1980-1988), first Gulf war (1991), economic sanctions (1990-2003) and the second Gulf war (2003) and its aftermath (until 2005).

Grieved for many relatives and friends (cousin 2004, father 2005, older brother 2006) and many others.

I was working as a junior doctor in Al Wasiti Hospital in Baghdad.

September 2005: My father was taken from our home in Baghdad by masked militia men. We never saw him since.

August 2009: My brother lost his right eye following a terrorist attack on his workplace in Baghdad.

Older people account for 10 per cent of refugees with specific needs

77 per cent of older refugees surveyed have specific needs (chronic illness, impairment and disability).

Older refugees are twice as likely as the general refugee population to report signs of psychological distress (65 per cent of older refugees present signs of psychological distress).

There is no official source of data on the prevalence of impairments and chronic illness amongst refugees and asylum seekers in Britain.

Estimates range from 3 per cent to 10 per cent of the total population of refugees and asylum seekers.

Research found that even those elderly migrants who have acquired English language skills tend to lose the language as they grow older and they revert back to their first language particularly those patients who develop dementia.

The journey continues..

Refugee doctors will continue to be part of the NHS. They should be supported by all relevant organisations.

Older refugees and access to health care remains a challenge. A culturally informed approach with use of local community support is vital.