The Health in Europe Series highlights two crucial issues: health-care access for migrants and the effect of austerity measures on health care. The RESTORE study is exploring the implementation of initiatives designed to support multicultural consultations in primary care, in six European countries (Austria, England, Greece, Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands). We wish to draw attention to the disproportionate effect that austerity measures are having on migrant health care, even in countries that seem less affected by the economic downturn. We observe that an area particularly affected is the provision of interpretation services for patients who speak a foreign language. In the Netherlands, the government recently stopped paying for medical interpreter services. In England, the cost of National Health Service translation services has led to discussion about the provision of face-to-face interpreters. Out-of-pocket expenses and a lack of free health care for migrants are also affecting their ability to access health services. In Greece, migrants struggling to register their asylum claim are deemed to have irregular status and, as such, are unable to access medical care. In the Netherlands, all patients now have to make a financial contribution to their mental health care. Because migrants have a greater prevalence of mental health problems and are more likely to be on low incomes, this affects them disproportionately. In Scotland, mental health services for asylum seekers have been cut. In Ireland several agencies that supported migrant rights have had their funding cut. Changes to entitlements in England mean that asylum seekers whose applications have been refused can no longer access non-urgent secondary care services for free.
展开▼
