Compassionate treatment for people seeking asylum
Our namesake, Mother Cabrini, was canonised in 1946 and later declared the Universal Patron Saint of Immigrants for her lifelong service to those displaced or starting new lives in a foreign country. This same spirit of service is expressed through Cabrini Outreach today in our health services and in our contribution to creating a more compassionate response for people seeking asylum in Australia.
During the year, we made a number of submissions drawing attention to the impact of the current policy framework on this particularly vulnerable population. In April, we met with the Minister for Mental Health and Equality, the Honourable Martin Foley, to discuss our concerns regarding the increasing mental health impacts and escalating levels of destitution amongst people seeking asylum as a result of the pandemic. We subsequently received support from the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services to meet some of this increased demand in Melbourne and to expand our mental health support into regional Victoria (see further detail under ‘Asylum seeker and refugee health program’). Medical Director of the Asylum Seeker and Refugee Health Hub, Dr Gill Singleton, played a key role in a media release from the Royal Australian College of General
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Practitioners on ‘Supporting non-English speaking patients during COVID-19’, and we provided a written submission in response to the Australian Commission’s draft of the ‘NSQHS Standards User Guide for health service organisations providing care for patients from migrant and refugee backgrounds’. We also contributed to and signed two open letters; one to the Commonwealth Minister for Health, the Honourable Greg Hunt and one to the Prime Minister, the Honourable Scott Morrison, both seeking to ensure people seeking asylum, refugees and other vulnerable groups were included in COVID-19 responses. We have been deeply concerned by the plight of people seeking asylum during the pandemic and will continue to advocate for their health and wellbeing.
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