Reconceptualising specialisation: integrating refugee health in primary care

People from a refugee background have significant unmet health needs including complex physical and psycho-social presentations. They can experience low trust, unfamiliarity with the health system and reliance on family and friends to access care. To address these needs, Australia has specialised refugee health services in each state and territory. The majority of these services transition patients to primary care, but this transition, although necessary, is difficult. Most primary care and specialised health professionals share a high degree of commitment to refugee patients; however, despite best efforts, there are gaps. More integrated health services can start to address gaps and promote continuity of care. A previous study has described 10 principles that are associated with successful integration; this paper references five of those principles (continuum of care, patient focus, geographic coverage, information systems and governance) to describe and map out the outcomes of an integrated model of care designed to deliver specialist refugee health in primary care. The Co-location Model is a partnership between a refugee health service, Primary Health Networks, a settlement agency and general practices. It has the potential to deliver benefits for patients, greater satisfaction for health professionals and gains for the health system.