Expert Witness Journal Dec 24 - Journal - Page 82
Government has a Unique
Opportunity to Create a Humane
Environment for Those Seeking Asylum
A new report from the Royal College of Psychiatrists highlights how the Government has the
opportunity to reform the immigration system, while ensuring the mental health of those seeking
sanctuary in the UK is protected.
Protecting the Mental Health of People Seeking
Sanctuary in the UK’s Evolving Legislative Landscape
recognises Government’s early commitments to repealing legislation, such as the Rwanda policy. But it
also cautions that substantial change is needed to
protect sanctuary seekers from mental health harms.
Dr Lade Smith CBE, President of the Royal College of
Psychiatrists, said:
“It is often said that how a society treats its most vulnerable
members is the true measure of its humanity. We cannot, therefore, allow people seeking sanctuary in the UK to be caused
further harm by the asylum process.
“As is clear from our report, we particularly welcome the
Government’s commitment to repeal the Rwanda legislation,
as it did not allow those seeking sanctuary to be appropriately
assessed and treated for any existing mental illness.
Created in partnership with survivors of persecution
and torture, the report assesses the mental health impacts of rapid changes to the UK’s immigration legislation between 2022 and 2024, on top of the stress and
trauma of escaping life-threatening situations.
“Many sanctuary seekers leave their countries after
witnessing, or being subjected to, some of the most devastating
traumas that can be visited on a person, such as rape, imprisonment and torture. Hazardous journeys to the UK, and
rejection by local populations, then cause further risk of
mental illnesses developing, or the deterioration of current
conditions.
It finds that sanctuary seekers experience new, or
worsening mental illness, caused by prolonged immigration limbo, financial hardship and the threat of detention. This is felt particularly acutely by the large
number of individuals experiencing mental illnesses
such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD).
The report includes firsthand accounts from
sanctuary seekers who felt retraumatised by their
experience of the asylum process and ostracised by
society.
“As psychiatrists, we have a duty to champion the provision
of equitable needs-based care for all in society and, as this report highlights, people seeking sanctuary require specific focus.
NHS mental health services must build their capacity in
trauma-informed care. It must also ensure that this vulnerable group of people can access treatment.
RCPsych sets out how all relevant agencies and
individuals, from Government and NHS trusts right
through to clinicians, can contribute to addressing the
mental health needs of those seeking sanctuary in the
UK.
“Denying sanctuary seekers any right to work during
prolonged immigration limbo only deepens mental health
harms. We urge the new Government to reconsider this approach. Leaving people in economic inactivity is a total waste
of their potential and causes immense hardship.
The College has long highlighted (PDF) the substantial evidence that detaining people with significant
mental illness in immigration detention centres runs
the risk of worsening their mental health, resulting in
poorer outcomes for individuals, and additional, yet
avoidable, burden to the health system. It is again
calling for detention in such places to be a last resort.
“Sadly, the need for us all to retain our focus on forced
migration is likely to increase in the coming years as the number of displaced people worldwide is expected to grow, due to
conflict and climate change. We must be ready to meet this
challenge.
“A robust immigration policy can still be guided by human
kindness, that is fair and compassionate. The Labour government has an opportunity to ensure its new immigration
legislation and policies explicitly protect people seeking sanctuary who have mental illness while maintaining the public’s
confidence in border control.”
RCPsych is urging the new Government to seize a
once-in-a-generation opportunity to ensure all immigration legislation and policy explicitly protects those
with mental illness. It wants the Government to review the mental health impacts of upcoming legislation, building in a requirement for appropriate
mental health screening on arrival and regular monitoring, so that mental health needs are met at the
earliest opportunity.
EXPERT WITNESS JOURNAL
References
Detention of people with mental disorders in immigration removal centres (PDF), Royal College of Psychiatrists 2016. Download the full report here:
Protecting the Mental Health of People Seeking Sanctuary in the UK’s Evolving Legislative Landscape.
80
DECEMBER 2024
