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BHIVA / NAT : "Detention, Removal and People Living with HIV" - June 2009

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Posted by Emma Ginn
By the British HIV Association (BHIVA) and National AIDS Trust (NAT) - June 2009
Advice for healthcare and voluntary sector professionals 

"This booklet is a practical resource that provides information and advice for healthcare, voluntary sector and other professionals working with detained HIV positive asylum seekers in Immigration Removal Centres (IRCs).  It may also be helpful for those working with HIV positive detainees in other detention settings such as short-term holding facilities or prisons.

Best practice checklist for IRCs
Maintain unbroken access to antiretroviral (ARV) medication for an HIV positive detainee who arrives with his or her ARV therapy.  An arrangement must be in place between the IRC and the local HIV clinic to obtain ARV medication within 24 hours for an HIV positive detainee who does not arrive with his or her ARV therapy.

Make arrangements in advance for any transfer of an HIV positive detainee out of the IRC either to another IRC or into the community.  This includes arrangements at the new IRC for receiving detainees taking ARV medication to avoid any treatment interruption or delay and the timely transfer of medical records.  Consult local HIV specialists during preparations for any transfer.

Ensure an HIV positive detainee is medically stable and fit to travel before removal.  This includes consideration by the IRC General Practitioner (GP) of the detainee’s medical issues with input from HIV specialists when coming to a decision on fitness to travel.  For audit purposes, keep a record in the patient’s medical notes.

Forewords
In recent years, there has been increasing concern at failures to meet the HIV-related needs of asylum seekers.  In particular, the process of detention and removal has resulted in real difficulties for asylum seekers living with HIV. This resource provides practical advice for IRC healthcare staff and for NHS healthcare workers supporting the HIV treatment, care and support needs of detainees while in detention and during the removal process.  It also outlines where relevant the agreed roles and responsibilities of others working with such detainees.

Those detained in IRCs are entitled to NHS care equivalent to that available in the community.  The importance of clinicians and Home Office staff ensuring that the needs of HIV positive detainees are appropriately met is further reinforced by the Disability Equality Duty in the Disability Discrimination Act 2005.  It is our hope that this information, developed in collaboration with the UK Border Agency, IRC healthcare managers, HIV clinicians working with local IRCs, key community support service organisations and people living with HIV, will be used widely to provide appropriate high-quality care and to support consistency, continuity of care and clinical handover during removal.

Dame Denise Platt DBE
Chair, National AIDS Trust (NAT)
Dr Ian Williams
Chair, British HIV Association (BHIVA) 

This practical resource outlines clinical best practice for healthcare professionals supporting the HIV-related needs of asylum seekers during detention and in preparation for removal.  The IRC healthcare managers, who worked with NAT
and BHIVA on the development of this booklet, are committed to ensuring this resource is used widely to meet those needs.  Those detained in IRCs are entitled to NHS care equivalent to that available in the community.  For serious and often complex long-term conditions such as HIV, there is a particular need to ensure consistent and appropriate care. We commend this resource to all those responsible for the health and well-being of detainees. 

Dr Celia Grummitt
IRC Healthcare Steering Group

Download the booklet

Last Updated on Saturday, 20 June 2009 23:07