General practitioners’ perspectives on the management of refugee health: a qualitative study

OBJECTIVE: To explore general practitioners’ (GPs) perceptions of the challenges and facilitators to managing refugee healthcare needs in regional Australia. SETTING: A regional community in Australia involved in the resettlement of refugees. PARTICIPANTS: Nine GPs from five practices in the region. DESIGN: A qualitative study based on semistructured interviews conducted between September and November 2020. RESULTS: The main challenges identified surrounded language and communication difficulties, cultural differences and health literacy and regional workforce shortages. The main facilitators were clinical and community supports, including refugee health nurses and trauma counselling services. Personal benefits experienced by GPs such as positive relationships, satisfaction and broadening scope of practice further facilitated ongoing healthcare provision. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, GPs were generally positive about providing care to refugees. However, significant challenges were expressed, particularly surrounding language, culture and resources. These barriers were compounded by the regional location. This highlights the need for preplanning and consultation with healthcare providers in the community both prior to and during the settlement of refugees as well as ongoing support proportional to the increase in settlement numbers.