Victoria has experienced an influx of asylum seeker children with significant health needs. The RCH has been working proactively – and thinking outside the square – to manage and promote the health of refugee children and families.
The RCH Immigrant Health Service consultants and fellows provided over 1,200 episodes of clinical contact in 2012–13. The Immigrant Health Clinic saw children from over 30 countries, speaking over 30 languages, and interpreters assisted for over two thirds of clinic consultations. Attendance rate was 87 per cent, which is a testament to the care and work of nurse coordinator Helen Milton.
The service has enhanced its hospital-based program with the introduction of a secondary mental health consultation model to help manage children with severe mental illness. The meetings obtain advice and input from Psychiatry, Psychology and teachers from the RCH Education Institute.
Service director, Dr Georgie Paxton, said the consultations have proved extremely valuable.
“We are already seeing increased access for our clients to mental health services as well as improved communication. We regard this as a significant achievement,” Georgie said.
Another important achievement has been the development of the ‘Easidose’ web-based prescribing aid, which has received great support from the Victorian Department of Health. Easidose (www.easidose.com) is a unique approach to overcoming the language and literacy barriers that often hinder correct dosing of prescribed medication for refugee children. Easidose addresses these barriers by converting medication dosing instructions into easy-to-understand pictures. The aid is available to any clinician, and patients are providing very positive feedback.
In addition to hospital-based initiatives, the RCH has made valuable contributions to state and national efforts to improve refugee child health, and is working closely with other sectors to maximise outcomes for these children. We’ve focused on strengthening and building capacity within other services relevant to the hospital, including detention health services, refugee health nurses, settlement support agencies, community health and acute hospital services.
The work of the refugee fellows has been invaluable, with Dr Anthea Rhodes in 2012, and Dr Daniel Engelman in 2013 providing education, clinical care, and mentoring for the next generation of medical students interested in refugee health. The fellows are supported by the Victorian Department of Health.
Education sessions in maternal and child health have continued while links have been made with other groups such as preschool field officers and the general practice training program. The team delivered 50 education sessions to 2,800 participants over 2012, and delivered a further 18 sessions over the first half of 2013. They have been active in research, with seven publications over 2012–13 including a lead role in the national position statement on vitamin D and health in infants, children, adolescents and during pregnancy.
The Immigrant Health Service’s experience with detention health services has resulted in the updating of the RCH ‘Care of Children in Detention’ policy, which is a guide for RCH to provide a best practice approach to care of this vulnerable patient group.
The team continues to be involved in research, advocacy and policy development at a state level, working closely with the Victorian Department of Health and the Victorian Refugee Health network.
“We are privileged to be providing care and leadership in this fascinating area, and our work continues to evolve with the changing demography and policy of refugee health in Australia,” Georgie said.
This story was produced for the RCH Quality of Care Report 2012-13. Click here to view the full report.