The Refugee Health Flexible Fund for 2021-22 to 2022-23 supports healthcare for people from refugee backgrounds across NSW.
NSW Health has funded 15 projects to support priorities set out in the NSW Refugee Health Plan 2022-2027. The projects share a common purpose, that is, to ensure access to timely, culturally responsive and trauma-informed healthcare services for people from refuge and asylum seeker backgrounds.
The projects address local and statewide needs, including in regional NSW, through targeted strategies to enhance:
A key feature of the fund and the projects is enhancing collaboration across NSW Health, as well as with partners and communities.
NSW Health has engaged Dr Ilse Blignault to support four forums to foster collaboration, promote knowledge exchange and learning across the projects. Dr Blignault will also undertake a review of the overall project. The review of the fund will be completed in the second half of 2023.
NSW Health will use this webpage as a hub for recordings of the forums, as well as new resources, literature reviews, and evaluations, which have been supported through the fund and will be a lasting resource for refugee health.
The first online forum on 2nd November 2022 had three objectives:
This forum featured extended presentations by the Agency for Clinical Innovation (project completed), Hunter New England LHD, Mindgardens and the NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service.
The second online forum was held on 5 April 2023, and featured extended presentations by the Cancer Institute NSW, Centre for Oral Health Strategy, Mid North Coast, Northern NSW and South Western Sydney Local Health Districts. Projects discussed included initiatives to increase rates of cancer screening, enhance oral health services, regional refugee and multicultural health services, as well a project with volunteers to enhance culturally responsive healthcare in South Western Sydney.
The third online forum for the Refugee Health Flexible Fund was held on 9 August 2023, and featured presentations from Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network, Sydney Children's Hospital Network, plus Western Sydney, Northern Sydney, South Western Sydney and Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health Districts (LHD). Projects discussed included culturally responsive and trauma informed care models, digital health literacy for refugees, and a variety of projects aimed at improving outcomes for refugee children, their families and carers.
A final in-person forum to discuss promising practices and overall learnings for the Fund is scheduled for February 2024.
Translated health resources for refugee communities, Multicultural Health Communication Service
NSW Health would like to thank all the staff from local health districts and networks, partners and communities, for the important work you are doing to improve health services for people from refugee backgrounds.