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Citizens in waiting

Citizens in waiting (asylum seekers and refugees) are supported by our core teams by adapting our practices to the needs of the individual. This is by undertaking reasonable adjustments in order to promote social inclusion and fair access to health services.

Working with our system partners, we ensure people are granted fair access to social inclusion and to the services they need to become, and stay well. We do this by working with people to anticipate, and prevent, health crises among the refugee community, and helping them to adopt an outlook which promotes healthy living in order to prevent their health from deteriorating.

We also offer regular, and consistent, advice on the needs of citizens in waiting (asylum seekers and refugees) in line with current legislation, to ensure clinicians who work with people who have sought asylum receive the healthcare services they need.

Information on this page supports our work by allowing each person to make key connections with local and national groups in ways that promote their wider wellbeing.

General information

The Pickwell Foundation supports charities that are working with displaced people and with those combating climate change. We work collaboratively with them, providing grants to support their essential work to protect people and planet.

UK Trauma Council shares information and resources to help you get started.

World Health Organisation (WHO) produce information on migrant health and immediate trauma support in emergencies.

Support in Devon

Refugee Support Devon wants Devon to be a county where men, women and children who have been forced to flee from their homes in other parts of the world can find the protection they need, rebuild their lives in safety and dignity, and achieve their full potential.

Refugee Support Devon offers local asylum support (Exeter drop-in, telephone support).

START – Students and Refugees Together aims to support refugees to reduce the impact and isolation they feel coming to live in Plymouth in a number of different ways.

TALKWORKS have a small number of therapists trained to deliver a trauma focused therapy called Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) which is an evidence based treatment for refugees or asylum seekers.

Livewell Southwest offers a specialist service dedicated to supporting the health and mental health needs of asylum seekers and those who have sought refuge in the UK.

Download the Diverse Ethnic Communities Service Directory for Devon, Plymouth, and Torbay.

Videos and national information

Mental Health Foundation provides videos that can be used with clients to share information about specific programmes for refugees in Scotland and Wales, and general information on mental health.

Refugee Action shares general information.

Right to Remain shares a general toolkit for navigating the immigration and asylum system.

RCPsych Humanitarian resources offers general information on asylum seeker and refugee mental health information.

Communication and translation

Accessible Communications (G16) - download our policy on accessible communications including translation services, use of carers or relatives as translators and booking translator services.

Translated information

Doctors of the World - provides general information translated on accessing healthcare, COVID-19, vaccination, HIV – not medication specific.

RCPsych has translated their mental health resources in 26 languages.

Choice and Medication leaflets are available in Arabic, Bengali, Farsi, French, Hindi, Lithuanian, Mandarin Chinese, Mãori, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Somali, Tagalog, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese and Welsh.

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Trust provide translations of the Mental Health Act information leaflets in Arabic, Albanian, Bengali, Farsi (Persian), French, Gujarati, Hindi, Italian, Korean, Lithuanian, Mandarin, Pashto, Polish, Portugese, Punjabi, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Sylheti, Tamil, Turkish, Urdu, and Vietnamese.

Clinical guidance

NICE Guidance NG116 Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

BAP Guidance on Evidence Based pharmacological treatment of anxiety disorders, post traumatic stress disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder

UK Government guidance

UK Government guidelines for migrant health including eligibility for NHS services

Children, Family and Young People’s resources

Useful helplines

Asylum Help UK
Telephone: 0808 801 0503
Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm (24-hour service for emergencies)

Asylum Support Application UK
Telephone: 0808 801 0503
Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm (24-hour service for emergencies)

Children’s Panel (England only)
If you’re a child in the UK on your own and applying for asylum.
Telephone: 020 7346 1134
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm(limited service at other times)

What support do asylum seekers have access to?

The Government shares information on the support asulym seekers can receive and how to apply.

Healthcare

Asylum seekers are eligible for NHS care and should contact the free National Health Service (NHS) 111 service for help and advice with health problems when it’s not an emergency.

Telephone: 111
Textphone: 18001 111

NHS Help With Health Costs Telephone: 0300 330 1343

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