Vicky Jacobson - Refugee Health Network Queensland Coordinator

Anne-Marie Donovan - Darling Downs West Moreton PHN

Program Coordinator – Health Outcomes

Tracey John - Centacare Cairns Manager, Centacare Multicultural Services

Network of Network – Refugee Health in rural and regional Queensland

• There are approximately 3000 asylum seekers currently residing in Queensland under a variety of visa classes

• 2015, the Australian Government announced 12,000 additional Humanitarian Program (to assist Syrian and Iraqi refugees). These places are in addition to the 'base' places available under Australia’s 2016–17 Humanitarian Program

Refugee Settlement Context Australian Humanitarian Program • 13% of refugees are settled in

Queensland, the third largest settlement state in Australia

• 466 arrivals settled in regional Qld in 2016

• The UNHCR recommends all refugees have a health assessment soon after arrival

• Accessing services is complicated by language and cross cultural issues

• Health providers may be unaware of health issues that need to be addressed

• Refugee Health Services are funded by Qld Health to complete nursing assessments in settlement sites

• Medical health assessments and ongoing care is delivered in Primary Care

Health Needs of Newly Arrived Refugees

1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018

Medicare Locals

2011-2015

Divisions of General Practice 1992-2011

Primary health networks

2015 - now

Border Force Act 2015

Pacific Solution TPV abolished TPV reintroduced

High Court decisions

Offshore detention reopened TPV introduced

QPASTT established

QTMHC established

QIRCH established

Refugee Health Qld (hub & spokes)

(2008 – 2012)

QIRCH transferred auspice to Mater

Refugee Health and Wellbeing Policy and Action Plan released

Refugee Health and Wellbeing Strategic

Framework released

Refugee Health Network Qld established

SEQ PAG established

Refugee Health Qld Hub

de-funded

Refugees and Primary Health Project (2009-2011)

HHS structures established 2012 - now Queensland Health state department

IHSS 2000 - 2011 HSS 2011-2017 HSP 2017

RH-PAGQ established

Regional Spokes established (early networks)

Early G11 (originally G4)

• Coordinated Primary Health Care for Refugees: A Best Practice Framework for Australia (2013)

• Delivery of refugee health care underpinned by partnerships – SEQ PAG (2013-16) – RH PAGQ (2017)

• Stakeholders from primary, tertiary health, Gov, non-Gov & communities

• Shared vision & goals – Refugee Health and Wellbeing: A Strategic Framework for Qld 2016

Development of a Network

2017 • Policy and Action Plan launched • Refugee Health Network Qld

launched

Tracey John

Cairns Refugee Health & Wellbeing Network

“Insight into the journey of a Syrian refugee family arriving in Cairns”

Case Study: A personal experience of engaging Primary Care Providers in

Refugee Health Care in the Darling Downs

Anne-Marie Donovan Program Coordinator – Health Outcomes

For more information and access to resources, visit:

www.refugeehealthnetworkqld.org.au

Contact the Refugee Health Network Qld: Info@refugeehealthnetworkqld.org.au Ph. 07 3163 2958 Darling Downs West Moreton PHN: anne-marie@ddwmphn.com.au Ph. 07 4615 0900 Centacare Cairns: tracey.john@centacarecairns.org Ph. 07 4044 0130