Read the full article, published by the Royal College of Pyschiatrists here. Below is a summary of the blog post:

A pioneering new clinic has been praised for its effectiveness in supporting sanctuary seekers with mental health issues in Norwich.

The clinic meets once a month at the REST hub run by Mind in central Norwich – an intentionally non-medical setting. Care at the clinic is provided by a team who are experienced in working with people with trauma.

The clinic staff consider which partner organisation is best placed to help deliver treatment and they manage other contributing factors to adverse mental health. This could include helping people access school or college or connecting them with refugee support groups. The clinic then manages the person’s support, treatment and care with the help of the relevant partner organisation.

Between April 2022 and 31 March 2023, the clinic received 59 referrals, the average number of referrals per month was 4.9 and the average of appointments per month was 9.5. These numbers started to increase gradually as more professionals became aware of this service.

The holistic approach that the clinic takes means the individualised care given to each patient has a long-term outlook. It also enables clinicians to learn about the needs of forced migrants, increasing their confidence in delivering care to this patient group.

With an eye to the future, they see a clear need for this model of care for refugee mental health to be expanded to other NHS trusts, and for the workforce to be upskilled to work with refugees and asylum seekers.