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Editor: Moyra Rushby
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Refugee Network


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Courtesy of UNHCR

Focus Page

This focus page will reflect change to reflect either a current concern or some issue of particular interest to Refugee Health Network (RHN) members. We welcome your input and if you know of  something that might be included or would like to write an article for  the site please contact moyrarushby@medact.org

The first Focus page concentrates on the Detention of children in the United Kingdom. By institutionalising the detention of child asylum seekers, the UK is in violation of the Article 37 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which requires that detention be used: "only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest period of time".

Statistics published today by the Home Office show that on 26 June 2004, 60 asylum seeker children were detained in removal centres under immigration act double the number of children detained in March 2004. Many of the documents on this page highlight the many concerns regarding the health and wellbeing of perhaps the most vulnerable children. There can never be a justification for detaining children and an alternative can and should always be found.

to discuss.

Adobe Acrobat

egroups_logo.gifMany of the documents available on this site are in PDF format.

To view them you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader if it is not already installed on your system.

Failed asylum seekers and ordinary residence Action: Trust Chief Executives should ensure that they are aware of this ruling and the consequences it has for the charging regime employed in their trust
Letter for overseas visiitor managers and new entitlement table 17/06/2008
Recent court case on refused (failed) asylum seekers and entitlement to NHS healthcare An information sheet on the recent judicial review judgment. This is guidance and not legal advice if you are unsure or if you require more detailed information please seek legal advice specific to your case.
This document can be downloaded as a PDF 27/05/2008
Transcript - Judicial Review Judgment MR JUSTICE MITTING: The claimant challenges the lawfulness of aspects of the guidance given by the Right Honourable John Hutton, then Minister of State for Health, to National Health Service Trusts effective from 1st April 2004 about the implementation of the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989SI/1989/306 ("the Regulations"). 11/04/2008
R (A) v SECRETARY OF STATE FOR HEALTH & WEST MIDDLESEX UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL NHS TRUST (INTERESTED PARTY) - CO/8095/2006 This case will be heard 10/11th April 2008 31/03/2008
Campaign Newsletter March 2008 An update of cuurent activity for supporters. Also available to download as PDF document. 31/03/2008
Information on accessing NHS Care The information provided here is from organisations we believe to be trusted sources of information. Medact can not be responsible for the content iof these third party sites.

Regulations change and individual circumstances are rarely simple so please do seek professional legal advice if you are looking for specific information 12/03/2008
DOH Proposals to Exclude Overseas Visitors from Eligibility to Free NHS Primary Medical Services Click on the website link below. Then click on "Consultations closed in 2004" at the bottom of the webpage. You will then find that "Proposals to Exclude Overseas Visitors from Eligibility to Free NHS Primary Medical Services : Closed 13 August 2004" is the 6th article down the list. 09/03/2008
Medact briefing: proposals to exclude overseas visitors from eligibility to free NHS Primary Medical Services This briefing is in response to a cross-Government enforcement strategy document “Enforcing the Rules” (Home Office, 2007). This suggests that primary care will be brought into line with existing secondary care regulations. 20/01/2008
Action - please ask your MP to support Early Day Motion 220 If your MP is not one of the 86 who has already signed EDM 220 please consider writing or emailing to ask them for their support


You can do very easily by clicking the view website button. 15/01/2008
Action - Petition on the pending primary care review. Sign online or download a paper copy. Encourage others to sign 21/12/2007
Action - Medical Justice Petition This petition can only be signed by UK registred doctors this petion currently has 659 signatures

Please follow the weblink for more information 20/12/2007
Action - call for case studies: we need your help Medact has now been looking at and campaigning on issues relating to access to health care for refugees and asylum seekers for more than three years.
More than ever we need to continue this part of our work and we really do need your help to do so. We are asking people to send us “case studies” of any incidents of concern relating to refugees and asylum seekers accessing NHS care 14/12/2007
Who is currently supporting the campaign? A list of just some of the people who have signed the statement and agreed to support the Campaign 14/12/2007
Notes from Parliamentary meeting 11th December 2007 The meeting was held on December 11th 2007.
Notes from the meeting are available to download with a summary below. 11/12/2007
Advice on writing to your MP or the Press 01/12/2007
Enforcing the rules. a strategy to ensure and enforce complaine with our immigration laws Home Office March 2007 16/10/2007
Table of entitlement to NHS treatment (correct at June 2007) Please download the PDF file or follow these instructions:
Click on the website link given below for the Table of Entitlement can be found half-way down the next page. 12/08/2007
Joint Committee Human Rights - Tenth Report : The Treatment of Asylum Seekers The evidence and reports of the JCHR along with the response of the Government 16/07/2007
Government Response to the Committee's Tenth Report of this Session: The Treatment of Asylum Seekers Note: This links to the report . The response on issues relating to health care provision can be found at the end page 17 - page 21 12/07/2007
The Impact on and use of the UK’s National Health Service by New Migrants A PhD thesis by Sally Hargreaves. 2007 28/06/2007
Media Coverage the Good and the Bad Here is the way the Media are covering the campaign 10/05/2007
The identification and charging of Overseas Visitors at NHS services in Newham In 2003 the UK Government announced proposals to tighten up existing legislation on the identification and charging of Overseas Visitors.
Newham PCT commissioned the International Health Unit (IHU), Imperial College, to undertake a Consultation to further explore these issues in 2006, the primary aim being to investigate current charging procedures at hospitals and at primary medical services. 02/05/2007
Reports documenting issues of access around health care for refugees and asylum seekers These reports constitute part of the growing body of evidence highlighting the failure to provide even a minimum standard of health care and social provision for perhaps the most vulnerable people living ion the UK toaday. 16/04/2007
Health Select Committee - NHS Charges Third report - The published report was ordered by the House of Commons 6 July 2006.


 12/01/2007