As defined by the Multicultural Families Organisation, “A refugee is a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, political oppression or religious persecution”.

General practices play an instrumental role in providing primary care to people from a refugee background and are often one of the first points of contact for refugees in the Australian healthcare system.

Key points to remember when accepting new clients from a refugee background:

• Is your organisation culturally competent/sensitive?
• Does your organisation know about interpreting services and how to access them?
• Is your organisation aware of the refugee health resources available online?
• Is your organisation aware of local organisations that can provide assistance to clients of a refugee background?
• New arrivals will have little understanding of our health system
• Refugees may have no understanding of our medications or their proper use
• Health may not be their priority
• Most refugees will have experienced not just one, but a series of traumatic events
• Remember, dislocation from culture and tradition – as well as language barriers – add enormous pressure to all new arrivals
• Every encounter with a refugee is an opportunity to heal the past and bring hope to the future

Resources:

• Refugee Health Network Queensland
• Refugee Health Practice Guide – a national resource that aims to support doctors, nurses and other primary care providers
• The Queensland Program of Assistance to Survivors of Torture and Trauma  (QPASTT) provides flexible and culturally sensitive services to promote the health and well-being of people who have been tortured or who have suffered refugee related trauma prior to migrating to Australia.

• Information for multicultural communities – Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Department of Home Affairs Translating and Interpreting Service – Free Interpreting Service
• Multilingual printable appointment card
• Refugee Health Network Queensland referrals

COVID-19 vaccine information in your language

Information about COVID-19 vaccines has been translated into multiple languages. Visit the Department of Health website to access  a number of resources containing helpful information on COVID-19 vaccines and COVIDSafe behaviours.

The Department of Home Affairs has a dedicated website – COVID-19 information in your language which provides culturally and linguistically diverse communities with a single source of information in 63 languages other than English.

Chronic Disease

• Translated resources – Diabetes Australia
• Translated resources – Kidney Health Australia

Health and Nutrition

• Multicultural Health – multilingual nutrition information

Women’s Health

• Incontinence information in other languages – Continence Foundation of Australia
• Breastfeeding resources in other languages – Australian Breastfeeding Association

Children and Family

• Family Safety Pack – Government Department of Social Services
• Multicultural Health – translated child health information – Queensland Health

Mental Health

• Transcultural Mental Health Centre Multilingual Health information
• Multilingual mental health information for patients – Transcultural Mental Health Centre

Refugee Health

• Health translations – Victoria State Government
• Translated health information about medicines – NPS
• Fact sheets – Amparo
• Information in your language – Immigrant Women’s Support Service
• Refugee Health Network translated resources