Clinical resources and publications
Desktop guides for GPs
The desktop guide is an excellent quick guide for busy GPs who provide healthcare to patients from refugee background. The latest Queensland edition is available from Refugee Health Network.
A more comprehensive guide: Promoting Refugee Health: A Guide for doctors, nurses and other health care providers caring for people from refugee backgrounds (3rd edition) (2012) is also available.
Clinical Guidelines
Health Assessments for refugees and humanitarian entrants
The Refugee Health Network Assessment Tool is a useful tool for documenting a refugee health assessment. This tool is also available as a PDF.
A Medical Director template and instructions on its use is available at Refugee Health Network.
Useful information about how to perform a refugee health assessment.
Background information on refugees (permanent residents) for your practice when managing refugee patients.
Guidelines and up-to-date clinical information for common conditions in refugee patients such as Hepatitis B, treatment of vitamin D deficiency and infectious diseases is available at Refugee Health Network (scroll down to clinical quick links).
Diagnosis, Management and Prevention of Infections in recently arrived refugees, Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases (ASID) 2009 (extended version)
A summary is available via The Medical Journal of Australia's website:
Hepatitis B - Resources for GPs
Hepatitis B fact sheet
Hepatitis C fact sheet
Hepatitis Council of Queensland – useful resources and multilingual information for GPs and patients.
Pathology investigation recommendations for newly arrived refugees including children.
Immunisation catch up schedule
Information about immunisation catch up and guides
The Victorian immunisation guide offers further information especially for children.
Documents for recording your individual patient’s vaccination schedule:
Age specific 6 weeks old to 20 years and over
This group brings together key representatives from each state and territory working within the policy, clinical and public health realms of refugee health. It was born out of the inaugural National Refugee Primary Health Care conference held in Brisbane in November 2008. It aims to:
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inform and support the development of quality holistic health care for refugees in Australia across all health sectors in all jurisdictions
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provide advice to policy-makers at Commonwealth and state/territory level on current and emerging issues in refugee health in Australia
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provide a forum for exchange of information between providers of refugee health care and other relevant stakeholders across Australia.
One of the first achievements of RHeaNA was a submission to the 2009 review of the National Primary Health Care Strategy.
For further information about RHeaNA visit The Medical Journal of Australia's website.
Recent submission: National Primary Health Care Strategic Framework
Joint Submission to: Queensland Health
Identification of Queensland priorities under the National Primary Health Care Strategic Framework to inform the development of the state-wide GP and primary health care plan 12 September 2012 Prepared by: Multicultural Development Association In collaboration with: Refugee Health Network of Australia – Queensland Branch RHeaNA Refugee Health Network Australia Queensland Program of Assistance to Survivors of Torture & Trauma (QPASTT).
Refugee Health Network of Australia Queensland contacts
Donata Sackey
Mater UQ Centre for Primary Health Care Innovation
donata.sackey@mater.org.au
Dr Margaret Kay
mkay@uqconnect.net
For further information visit this RHeaNA information page or join using this online RHeaNA membership form. A new RHeaNA website is being developed and will be available in early 2013.
Mental health support for patients of a refugee background
Queensland Program of assistance to survivors of torture and trauma (QPASTT)
Provides a range of flexible and culturally sensitive services that aim to address the physical, psychological and social needs of survivors of torture and trauma. Services are free and confidential.
Transcultural Mental Health Service (TCMHS)
A state wide service which provides an information, referral, resource and clinical consultation service, funded by the Queensland Government. All services are provided free of charge.
Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS)
Interpreting services
How to access free interpreting services – Medical Practitioners registration form
General Practitioners, specialists and pharmacists are able to register for free interpreting services with TIS National.
Further information about TIS (Translating and Interpreter Service) is also available.
Health information translated into various languages
A-Z of General Medical conditions
NSW Government Health
Women's Health
Royal Women's Hospital Melbourne, Victoria
Relevant women’s health topics translated in up to 16 community languages.
Translated resources on iron-calcium-vitamin D and diabetes availabe in various languages (NZ resource)
Interstate refugee health information
Refugees and Primary Health project - Discussion papers and final report
Addressing the gaps: The health and wellbeing of people from a refugee background settling in Queensland -May 2011
Mater UQ Centre for Primary Health Care Innovation-Refugees and Primary Health project.
Building trust: Delivering health care to newly arrived refugees
Authors- Paula Peterson, Donata Sackey, Dr Ignacio Correa-Velez, Dr Margaret Kay
Refugees and Primary Health (RaPH) Project - Final Report May 2011
Mater UQ Centre for Primary Health Care Innovation-Refugees and Primary Health project.
Multicultural Development Association
Key settlement support service for refugees arriving from offshore and also onshore asylum seekers.