Yorkshire and Humber Migrant Health Group

[formerly the Yorkshire and Humber Asylum Seekers’ Health Interest Group]

Background

Historically the Yorkshire and Humber Asylum Seekers’ Health Interest Group developed out of the concerns of key medical and nursing personnel in the region about:

• the health needs of asylum seekers
• the capacity of local / regional health care to provide services for those needs within the remit of the existing and ever-changing Home Office legislation

While these issues are still pertinent, the group now also addresses health issues affecting other migrant groups, so we have now adopted the more inclusive title 'Yorkshire and Humber Migrant Health Group' . We're using the term 'migrants' to including asylum seekers, refugees, refused asylum seekers, trafficked people, undocumented migrants, economic migrants, international students and family joiners.

Why is migrant health important?

Migrants are a heterogeneous group. While some arrive in good health, able to access services, others have a disproportionate level of need because of a range of factors particular to their situation:

• traumatic events necessitating migration in the first instance [for example war, imprisonment, genocide, persecution, exploitation]
• poor health secondary to their journey [often long, arduous and unsafe, in extremes of temperature]
• health needs affected by their asylum status [such as loss of identity and status, denial of the right to work, discrimination and racial harassment, poverty, accommodation issues, destitution]

Language, ethnicity and culture can each act as barriers to accessing services, as can prejudice and confusion regarding entitlement to health care. Poor health in turn can be a barrier to integration and full participation in a new community. Migrant health is important, as a failure to address the health needs of such a marginalised group risks widening the inequalities gap further.

What does the group do?

The group aims to improve the health of migrants living in Yorkshire and Humber. We do this by highlighting issues affecting the health of migrants, looking at services already in place and identifying gaps in service provision, and developing strategic solutions. We aim to advocate for the needs of these vulnerable groups, share best practice, problem solve locally wherever feasible, and raise the profile of migrant health issues at a strategic level. We facilitate networking for healthcare professionals within the region and take a supportive role in the many issues they practically face.

The Yorkshire and Humber Migrant Health Group functions as a subgroup of the Yorkshire & Humber Strategic Migration Group [SMG], ensuring that a local voice in relation to health issues is represented at the SMG.

Who is on the group?

Frontline health care service providers from across the region, commissioners, strategic health leads, and those with other links relevant to healthcare provision [directly or indirectly] from the statutory and voluntary sector.

Any professional with an interest in the health needs of, and health care provision to, vulnerable migrants in our region is welcome to join the group.

We usually meet every three months, at Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber, Lateral, Leeds.

Contact the Migrant Health Group

Dr Susy Stirling, Chair of the Migrant Health Group
Regional Lead for Migration and Health for the Department of Health and Primary Care Trusts in Yorkshire and the Humber

Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer
Public Health Section, School of Health and Related Research
University of Sheffield S1 4DA
Phone: tuesdays and thursdays 0114 2220789 or 07774734626

More information

• Find out what happened at the most recent SMG meeting by going to: www.migrationyorkshire.org.uk/smg#keypoints
• Go to the SMG operational documents page to download our our terms of reference.
• Health - links