This week is Refugee Week, a time to understand the issues facing refugees by highlighting aspects of the refugee experience. This year’s theme, “healing”, encourages us to reflect on how we behave towards one another and move forward from the pandemic years with a shared sense of healing that leads to a more fulfilled and connected society.
The Monash Health Refugee Health and Wellbeing team has been pivotal in providing care for our refugee community. Beyond simply addressing immediate health needs, the Refugee Health and Wellbeing team provides holistic care for our refugee community, encapsulating the theme of healing.
Jacquie McBride, Manager, Monash Health Refugee Health and Wellbeing, reflects on the last 12 months in the refugee health landscape, which has seen unprecedented challenges. Following the events of August 2021 in Afghanistan, Australia completed one of its largest humanitarian operations with the evacuation of over 5000 people. Approximately 3,000 evacuees arrived in Victoria over a six-month period, many of whom ultimately settled in Melbourne’s south east, in the Monash Health community.
Monash Health Refugee Health and Wellbeing received almost 2,300 referrals during this time, the majority of whom had complicated Medicare entitlements.
“The broader challenge was that this occurred during COVID peak when significant restrictions were in place,” said Jacquie. “Most evacuees came with little or no health information which made triage difficult and demanded a high degree of responsiveness.”
Jacquie is grateful for the “extraordinary efforts displayed by the Refugee Health and Wellbeing team and colleagues across Monash Health.”
“The team worked tirelessly, supporting each other to ensure that necessary registration, assessment and care was delivered in a timely manner and was supported by services across Monash Health in responding to this period of intense demand.”
Despite the large arrival of refugees, Jacquie is proud to say that not one appointment was cancelled, with “every patient seen within two to three weeks of arrival.”
Understanding the barriers many refugees face in meeting appointments, all efforts were made to ensure unwell or furloughed clinicians had their appointments covered, with Jacquie and the team successfully managing a “dynamic space that can change in an instant.”
Providing a safe and welcoming environment for all
Asylum seekers and refugees present with unique and often complex health needs compared with the Australian population. Providing a safe and welcoming environment is a crucial component of the care provided by Monash Health, allowing patients to build trust, improve health and wellbeing, and work towards healing. The use of qualified interpreters is critical to this process.
Jacquie credits the many teams at Monash Health, vital for the ongoing support of our refugee community, recognising the “strong sense of collaboration and goodwill across the organisation.”
Refugee Week provides the opportunity to acknowledge the support provided by Monash Health, and the contributions that refugees and asylum seekers can make to our community.
You can visit the Refugee Week website to learn more.
Approved by Julia Oxley