About the Immigrant Health Service
The immigrant health service includes a weekly outpatient clinic (Mondays 13:00 - 17:00 at desk A5), patient consultations, education for service providers and work in policy development.
The clinic provides a multidisciplinary assessment service for recently arrived children of a refugee background, including medical and education/developmental assessment, dental assessment, immunisations, Mantoux testing and administration of Vitamin D as needed. Asylum seeker children and children in community detention are also seen. Post-arrival health screening can be provided if required.
Staff include four doctors, a clinic coordinator, a dental therapist and a teacher. Volunteers help families navigate the hospital. Pathology, radiology and pharmacy services are available onsite. The immigrant health clinic utilises the expertise of RCH interpreter service, and runs alongside the infectious diseases, travel medicine and immunisation clinics. There are close links between all these services and also links to primary health care providers, the Royal Dental Hospital and community organisations working in refugee health.
All children within a family can be seen at the same visit to maximise efficiency; in addition every attempt is made to minimise trips to the hospital by combining appointments for other services (such as eye review and audiology) with clinic times. A detailed summary is provided for the referring doctor with an ongoing plan for management; families receive a copy of this letter.
Referrals
The clinic coordinator is Helen Milton. She can be contacted through RCH switchboard on 9345 5522 or email: helen.milton@rch.org.au. Referrals should be clearly marked to Immigrant health clinic and can be sent through the normal outpatient referrals process. The Refugee Health Fellow can be contacted through RCH switchboard or by email: refugee.fellow@rch.org.au.
Updated January 2012