Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps his Department has taken to address the mental health needs of refugees.

Anyone granted asylum, temporary protection or humanitarian protection under the Immigration Rules of section 3 of the Immigration Act 1971 is recognised as a refugee and able to access all health care services, including mental health care services, exempt from charges.

If people experience symptoms of poor mental health, they can access evidence-based mental health treatment via their general practitioner (adults and children) or local (adult) Improving Access to Psychological Therapies services. For children and young people there will be locally agreed access arrangements.

If further support, is needed, the National Health Service follows a stepped up model of care, whereby there is an assessment of need to in order to target the most specialist treatment at those displaying clinical symptoms.

‘Commissioning mental health services for vulnerable adult migrants’ (February 2015), was co-produced by MIND and NHS England, with the aim of supporting NHS commissioners and providers to provide timely, good quality and person-centred mental health services for vulnerable migrants, in particular refugees and those seeking asylum.