Refugee and Immigrant Health
Contact
Kay Dufty
Program Coordinator
Email Kay Dufty
8480 4609
The Northern Division is working with the North Central Metro Primary Care Partnership to improve and coordinate care for refugee patients in Melbourne's north. The Refugee Health Services project supports the work of the Refugee Health Nurse based at Darebin Community Health.
This page contains:
Immigrant Health Care GP Kit
Introduction to Immigrant issues
Division training on Refugee health
Medicare Item Number, Template and Checklist
Where to refer to
Medical information
Mental Health Information
Refugee Health Assessment Item
More GP resources
Multilingual resources
Interpreter services
Immigrant Health Care GP Kit
The Northern Division has produced a kit of essential resources for local general practices.
Click here to view the resources.
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Introduction to Immigrant Issues
Refugee Health - how GPs can become involved in the healthcare of refugees
A concise update on how GPs can become involved in the healthcare of refugee-background patients. Written by Dr Mitchell Smith, a public health physician and director of the NSW Refugee Health Service. It provides information on common health problems, management in general practice and tips for GPs. [Reproduced with permission from Medical Observer] Download here.
Multicultural Health Resources
Centre for Culture Ethnicity and Health (CEH) New Resources on Cultural Diversity and Health
http://www.ceh.org.au/
A profile of Victorian Seniors from Refugee Backgrounds
A study conducted by the Refugee Health Research Centre, La Trobe University for the Department of Human Services, Victoria.
Health and wellbeing needs and access to aged care health and support services
CEH New Aquisitions list
The DHS Refugee Health and Well-being Action Plan
This 2006 Victorian government report gives a comprehensive overview of refugees in Victoria.
It includes information on countries of origin, visas, common medical issues and Victorian government initiatives.
www.dhs.vic.gov.au/multicultural/refugee_action.htm
2006 Health and Well-being of Refugee Seniors
Health and wellbeing needs, and access to aged care care health and support services by La Trobe University's Refugee Health Research Centre:
www.latrobe.edu.au/rhrc/seniors%20report.htm
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Division training on Refugee Health
Refugee Health training at your clinic
GPs and practice staff in the Northern Division can arrange a practice-based training session from Division Refugee Health Consultant Dr Joanne Gardiner.
Contact Program Coordinator Kay Dufty to discuss a session tailored to your practice, choosing from topics including screening, assessment, or common refugee health issues.
The Northern Division also has a Small Learning Group of GPs and practice staff with a particular interest in refugee health. This group will meet on the first Monday of every second month during 2008.
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Medicare Item Number, Template and Checklist
Standard assessment form
(pdf) A standard refugee health assessment template Developed with the assistance of Dr Jo Gardiner.
(pdf) The assessment is summarised in this checklist for general practice
Using Medical Director (MD) to complete the Refugee Health Assessment
Refugee Health Assessment on MD
Refugee Health Assessment on MD - Cheatsheet
Refugee health MBS item 714 (or related item 716)
This item was introduced in May 2006. The official summary of item 714 is:
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HEALTH ASSESSMENT FOR REFUGEES AND OTHER HUMANITARIAN ENTRANTS
Note: Benefits are payable on one occasion only for a service included in this item or item 716
Attendance by a medical practitioner (including a general practitioner, but not including a specialist or consultant physician) AT CONSULTING ROOMS for a health assessment of a patient that has been granted residency in Australia under the Humanitarian Program, not being a health assessment of a patient in respect of whom, a payment has been made under this item or item 700, 702, 712 or 716.
Benefits are payable for a service provided to a patient within 12 months of them arriving in Australia or receiving residency (whichever is the later)
(See para A.21 of explanatory notes to this Category)
Fee: $195.50 Benefit: 100% = $195.50
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Click here to download a Q&A document for Refugee Health Assessments (MBS Item 714).
Go to full description in MBS summary of changes (link to MBS).
Download full description extracted from MBS summary.
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Where to Refer to?
Finding the Right Help for People with Mental Health Problems
Services for culturally diverse patients in the Northern Region A3 Poster Resource for CALD patients (pdf). Developed between ADEC and NDGP.
Refugee referral and resource summary for the north of Melbourne
(pdf) The Division has prepared a four-page summary of local refugee referrals, including health services, settlement services, community health and other useful resources.
There is also a resources information sheet for North West Melbourne - Refugee Health Referrals and Resources in the North West
Settlement organisations
Contacts for the organisations that share responsibility for settlement of newly-arrived refugees in the northern suburbs are listed in this document: (pdf) Northern settlement services
Local community health
Darebin community health is our local community health service. Their website has details of allied health and other services.
Dental services
The Royal Children's Hospital guide to child-friendly and low cost dental services for children in Victoria.
Mental Health
See our detailed northern suburban referrals listing
Our Northern Primary Mental Health Team has produced a flowchart of northern mental health services
For more resources, see our mental health page.
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Medical Information
Immunisation
The Victorian Government website has information for health professionals on immunisation for newly arrived immigrants. See Immunising newly arrived immigrants.
Download the Quick Guide Catch-Up Immunisation from this DHS website.
See our immunisation page for more general information.
Child refugee health
Authors of this article on Paediatric Refugee Health Assessments include medical staff from the Royal Children's Hospital.
Vitamin D Deficiency
Patient Brochure - English
Patient Brochure - Arabic
Patient Brochure - Vietnamese
Research projects in refugee health
University of Melbourne International Health projects
Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases (ASID)
Diagnosis, management and prevention of infections in recently arrived refugees - Refugee guidelines
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Mental Health information
Drug and alcohol issues: The June 06 DrugInfo Newsletter has a range of articles on refugees and drug issues.
National links and resources
Multicultural Mental Health Australia is a national consortium of mental health groups. Their website includes a useful page of links.
http://www.mmha.org.au
Refugee Health Assessment Item
Refugee Health Assessment Template
Refugee Health Assessment on MD
Refugee Health Assessment on MD - Cheatsheet
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More GP Resources
Click here to view Dr Jo Gardiner's resource list for refugee health
Multilingual Resources
For patient information in languages other than English, and for information on interpreting and translation,
see our multicultural resources page.
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