Refugee and Asylum Seeker Service

From crisis response to long-term personalised care

As the only GP federation in the South East to have established a dedicated Refugee and Asylum Seeker Support Service, we are proud of the advances we have made in providing both clinical, emotional and practical support for those placed in our region.

Early on, we identified a need for a structured, permanent service that could respond to the growing humanitarian crisis, whilst also reducing the impact on local primary and acute care resources.

We now co-ordinate cross-organisational health support for people seeking asylum who are placed locally, both temporarily and long term. This involves working closely with GP practices across the region to ensure arrivals have access to routine care.

From those placed in overnight temporary accommodation with complex health needs, to arrivals in UK processing centres requiring urgent specialist care for traumatic experiences – we have established an agile and empathetic service that adapts to the changing circumstances.

This service now serves a fluctuating population of over 3,000 people including those who are currently living in 20 hotels across Surrey and Sussex.