Assessment of migrant patients

As with any other new patient, the migrant will require a baseline new patient check, including history and examination. However, migrant patients may also have other health concerns that need to be explored. Particular factors to be considered in the migrant patient consultation include:

• Their experiences before migration such as education, employment, family circumstances and access to healthcare
• Their experiences during the migration process
• The circumstances they are currently experiencing in Ireland in terms of social and economic support
• The underlying potential hazards that they may have been exposed to in their country of origin

The following questionnaire is a helpful guide to follow when assessing a migrant patient. This questionnaire has been adapted from two sources; Migrant Health Guide - Assessing new patients from overseas: Public Health England 2013 and the questionnaire from the Asylum Seeker Health Screening Centre, Balseskin, Dublin.

Note 1: This checklist is only a guideline and may need to be adapted according to the setting that the migrant attends.

Note 2: As with any new patient, it may take time to develop trust. Some more sensitive topics may not be divulged in the initial meetings but it is important that the healthcare provider be aware of these areas that are more pertinent to the migrant population so that as trust is established the more difficult issues can be addressed.

Note 3: If the migrant is unwell at first visit they should be assessed as a patient with symptoms. This is beyond the scope of this guidance document.

Note 4: Healthcare providers should bear in mind that some migrants may have limited proficiency in English. The use of appropriately trained interpreters is recommended.