here's my own stab at this placing the humanitarian dimension first  
and reemphasing the importance of the principle of universal health  
care as well as the need for medicine to be seperate from political  
considerations- feel free to use parts of it/all of it or to ignore.  
Otherwise I think this is excellent and my main comment would be that  
it would be worth contacting the refugee council, welsh& scottish  
refugee councils refugee action amnesty international, NAADC and other  
campaigning organisations to let them know this petition exists and  
encourage their supporters to sign it and take the issue up with their  
MP/MSP/MWA.

'We petition the Prime Minister that:

In light of the British tradition of humanity towards those in need
In light the importance of the principle of free access to NHS services
In the interests of general public health

That health care should be provided on the basis of health need and  
irrespective of immigration status or any political considerations  
concerned with the status of asylum applications.'

Quoting "Robinson, James" <[log in to unmask]>:

> Dear all
>
> I propose to lodge the following petition with the Prime Minister's
> office via the 10 Downing Street website. Any suggestions on improving
> the wording before I do so welcomed.
>
> "We petition the Prime Minister that in the interest of general public
> health and the British tradition of humanity toward those in need that
> free access to NHS services be available to all asylum seekers and other
> vulnerable migrants according to health need and regardless of legal
> status."
>
> Jim
>
> Jim Robinson
> Equality and Health Improvement Facilitator
> Lothian University Hospitals
>
> Office Address:
> The Bungalow
> Community Child Health
> 10 Chalmers Crescent
> Edinburgh
> EH9 1TS
>
> Tel +44 (0) 131 536 0055
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Health of minority ethnic communities in the UK
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Truswell
> David (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust)
> Sent: 25 February 2009 10:46
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Failed Asylum Seekers / Vulnerable Migrants and Access to
> Primary Care
>
>
> Jim
>
>
> I'd sign a petition if someone organises it but I'm also interested if
> anyone has other ideas about working to support the RCGP stance. I'm
> sure everyone on the list recognises the seriousness of this as a public
> health issue.
>
>
> Regards
>
> David Truswell
> Acting Equality and Diversity Coordinator
> Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
> Greater London House
> Hampstead Road
> LONDON
> NW1 7QY
>
> Tel.   020 3214 5771
> Fax.  020 3214 5892
> Mob. 078 1203 1215
>
> CNWL became a Foundation Trust on 1 May 2007. Foundation Trusts involve
>
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>
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>
> interested in becoming a member of our Foundation Trust please click
>
> the link below for further information or call 0800 0234047.
>
> www.cnwl.nhs.uk/membership.html <http://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/membership.html>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Health of minority ethnic communities in the UK
> [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Robinson, James
> [[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 25 February 2009 10:11
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Failed Asylum Seekers / Vulnerable Migrants and Access to
> Primary Care
>
>
> Should this network not get together a petition to support the RCGP
> stance? I see there is already a petition on the 10 Downing Street
> website requesting:
>
>     "Do not let failed asylum seekers gain access to free NHS treatment
> while waiting to be deported."
>
> Jim
>
> Jim Robinson
> Equality and Health Improvement Facilitator
> Lothian University Hospitals
>
> Office Address:
> The Bungalow
> Community Child Health
> 10 Chalmers Crescent
> Edinburgh
> EH9 1TS
>
> Tel +44 (0) 131 536 0055
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Health of minority ethnic communities in the UK
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Amjad Taha
> Sent: 25 February 2009 09:58
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Failed Asylum Seekers / Vulnerable Migrants and Access to
> Primary Care
>
>
>
>
> Position Statement from The Royal College of General Practitioners
> http://www.rcgp.org.uk/news_and_events/college_viewpoint/position_statem
> ents/failed_asylum_seekers.aspx
> <http://www.rcgp.org.uk/news_and_events/college_viewpoint/position_state
> ments/failed_asylum_seekers.aspx>
>
> Failed Asylum Seekers / Vulnerable Migrants and Access to Primary Care
> Background
> Regulations from the Department of Health (England) which came into
> force on 1 April 2004 identified groups who were not considered
> "lawfully resident" in the UK and made them liable for National Health
> Service hospital charges. Subsequently, a consultation in May 2004
> proposed to extend the charging regime to Primary Care, including access
> to GP services. The aim of the draft legislation was to restrict access
> to NHS care for overseas visitors with the declared intention of
> reducing abuse of the NHS by what are termed "health tourists".
> Although, to date, there has been no published government response to
> the 2004 consultation, a recent cross-Government enforcement strategy
> has been published "Enforcing the Rules". This suggests that primary
> care be brought into line with the regulations that exist for secondary
> care. The Home Office document describes the purpose of the strategy as
> "To ensure that living illegally becomes ever more uncomfortable and
> constrained until they leave or are removed."
>
> RCGP Position
> Based on the principle that General Practitioners have a duty of care to
> all people seeking healthcare, the RCGP believes that GPs should not be
> expected to police access to healthcare and turn people away when they
> are at their most vulnerable. According to the Table of Entitlements to
> NHS Treatments (correct as of November 2008) GP practices have the
> discretion to accept Failed Asylum Seekers as registered NHS patients.
> It should, however, be noted that the appeal against the April 2008
> review is due to be published imminently and the current situation could
> change as a result. In addition to failed asylum seekers, we would urge
> the government to consider the health needs of other vulnerable migrant
> groups, who we feel should also be entitled to free primary care.
>
> The College urges the Government:
> - to commission independent and wide ranging social, race, health and
> impact assessments of the proposed changes before the current situation
> is changed. The assessments should include, but not exclusively cover,
> issues such as vaccination coverage, outbreaks of communicable diseases,
> antenatal, perinatal, infant and child health including mortality;
> maternal health and mortality; and the health and social wellbeing of
> women and men who are abused or exploited at home or elsewhere, sexually
> or in other ways. These assessments should also include effects on
> inequalities in health.
>
> - to examine the compatibility of the proposals with the international
> human rights obligations of the UK, including those, but not
> exclusively, covering children;
>
> - to re-examine the proposals in the light of the evidence generated by
> the above assessments;
> - to commission independent, continuous, monitoring of access to health
> care and of the health needs of refugees and undocumented migrants;
>
> - to explore and implement modes of mitigating or reversing adverse
> effects of excluding migrants from free access, such as non-compliance
> with necessary prevention and treatment for fear of being presented with
> bills that cannot be paid. Mitigating measures may include annulment or
> non-enforcement of payment requests and compensation for Hospitals,
> General Practices and other NHS organizations from central funds;
>
> - To issue guidance to overseas visitor managers and similar officers in
> NHS organisations and general practices that they shall deal with
> vulnerable migrants in a sensitive way that will not undermine migrants'
> health;
>
> - To monitor the approach of vulnerable migrants by health care
> professionals, other staff and overseas visitor managers and similar
> officers in NHS organisations and general practices;
>
> - To particularly commit itself to the protection of children and
> pregnant women.
>
> The RCGP bases its position on the following:
>
> 	*	There is no evidence that asylum seekers enter the
> country because they wish to benefit from free health care.
> 	*	Asylum seekers are exercising a legal right to seek
> refuge from persecution.
> 	*	The Government's policy has had the effect of leaving
> some vulnerable people in the UK without any access to health care.
> 	*	There is an adverse effect on infant mortality and
> children's health in particular.
> 	*	Denying free access to primary care could increase the
> likelihood of serious communicable diseases not being detected.
> 	*	There could be deleterious effects on the health care
> and support for exploited women
> 	*	Health inequalities policies could be undermined.
> 	*	Additional stress would fall on A&E services if access
> to primary care is restricted
> 	*	Such a change in policy infringes the basic human rights
> obligations of the UK
>
>
> Pending further legal clarification, the RCGP reminds all general
> practitioners that failed asylum seekers are entitled to unrestricted
> access to primary care services.
>
> -------------------
> Amjad Taha
> BME Health Forum Manager
> c/o Westminster PCT
> 15 Marylebone Road, London NW1 5JD
> Tel: 020 7150 8128, fax: 020 7150 8105
> E-mail: [log in to unmask]
> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
> Website: www.westminster-pct.nhs.uk/diversity/bmehealthforum.htm
> <file://www.westminster-pct.nhs.uk/diversity/bmehealthforum.htm>
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