"Caring Nationally" for refugees
- Release Date: 26/11/2008
- For media enquiries please contact 07 3163 1524 or the afterhours on call media officer on 07 3163 8111.
Starting Thursday 27 November, more than 200 delegates will gather for two days at the National Refugee Primary Health Care Conference, "Caring Nationally", at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre to discuss and create awareness about providing health care to people of a refugee background.
According to QIRCH Clinic Manager, Claire Brolan the conference is an important opportunity for health care workers and other service providers who work with people from a refugee background to share knowledge and gain a better understanding of how to care for these culturally and linguistically diverse groups of people.
“As Australia continues to receive approximately 13,000 people of a refugee and humanitarian background annually, and additional people seeking asylum, the health and well-being of people of a refugee background remains a crucial part of their successful settlement.”
“We hope the conference achieves a consistency of practice amongst health care practitioners around Australia, progresses a much needed national strategy for refugee primary health care, profiles the importance of refugee health and provides networking opportunities, key learnings and peer support for workers,” Ms Brolan said.
Presenters from across Australia are speaking at the event including RACGP GP of the year, Dr Christine Boyce a general practitioner from Tasmania who runs an open access refugee health clinic at her practice, Dr David Burgner, School of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Western Australia who was involved in establishing a refugee service at Princess Margaret Hospital and Dr Mitchell Smith, Director, NSW Refugee Health Service.
The conference has attracted an array of people from professional backgrounds which reflects the holistic nature of refugee health care, and its intrinsic linkage to other areas of settlement including housing, social welfare, education and employment.
“The provision of health to people of a refugee background clearly does not occur in isolation. Services, organisations, individuals, the community, are all working together in challenging circumstances,” Ms Brolan continued.
“Most importantly, we hope that the "Caring Nationally" conference is a gathering to reflect on all of our achievements so far for this community.”
“We still have a long way to go, but if we move forward together, there is greater scope for providing an exceptional health care service,” she said.