Refugee and asylum seeker usage of primary care: medical student survey at two inner-city general practices

Refugees and asylum seekers face a number of barriers in accessing healthcare. However, there is a lack of quantitative research examining healthcare usage by refugees and asylum seekers in the UK. Using EMIS data from two GP practices in South London, all patients who had registered as refugees or asylum seekers were identified (n=35). The following data were extracted: date of registration; number of appointments in the 12 months from registration; reason for appointment; secondary care referrals and whether these were attended; and demographic data (age, sex, ethnicity). The mean number of appointments in 12 months was 5.8, and the median was 4. 60% of patients had 5 or fewer appointments. The most common reasons for appointments were psychiatric, musculoskeletal, and dermatological. 51% had a secondary care referral, of which 72% were attended; the most common referrals were to radiology. Of 35 patients, 20 were male and 15 female; the mean age was 32 and the most common ethnic category was Black African. Comparing this data to UK averages suggests that the survey cohort consulted their GP with roughly the same frequency as the average member of the public. There was a higher frequency of psychiatric symptoms, although referrals to secondary psychiatric care were infrequent. The survey cohort attended fewer secondary care referrals than comparable UK-wide data. This suggests that more work is necessary on identifying barriers to healthcare access for this population, and that they present with complex needs. This has implications for policy and for training GPs.