“All people have a fundamental right to healthcare and we have an obligation to these people to meet their healthcare needs. That’s what Medevac is making possible.” Detention Triage Manager, Michael Hoey.
The Medevac Bill was passed in February this year, giving medical doctors (not politicians) the power to decide whether sick refugees in offshore detention require transfer to Australia for medical treatment.
Medevac provides for the temporary transfer of patients in offshore detention to Australia for the purpose of medical or psychiatric treatment or further assessment.
The Medevac process is important because it makes what has often been a long fight of years in the courts for medical care, a safe, efficient and orderly process that gets sick people the care they need, when they need it.
Before the passing of the Medevac bill sick refugees and asylum seekers in offshore detention were waiting for 2 years (on average) for medical transfer to Australia for treatment, even after a medical transfer recommendation had been made by the Government’s own appointed doctors.
The Medevac process is a rigorous, transparent and independent process which omits political interference in a critically ill person’s access to healthcare.
It provides clear timeframes for decisions at each step of the Medevac process.
To date, more than 130 critically ill refugees who were denied access to lifesaving medical care in offshore detention have been evacuated to Australia for life-saving medical treatment under Medevac.
In short, the Medevac process is working.
It‘s saving lives.
As part of the Medical Evacuation Response Group (MERG), the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre plays a key role in facilitating the Medevac process, ensuring sick refugees get access to the healthcare they urgently need.
Working as part of MERG, in partnership with refugees, sector partners, doctors, lawyers and community advocates, our Detention Advocacy Team of 7 staff help manage the medical evacuation process, providing comprehensive case management support to sick refugees, including:
triaging the formal request for medical assessment of sick refugees
suicide intervention and critical care support
collating and managing medical and legal records to support and strengthen their request for medical transfer
linking them to doctors and lawyers to help them obtain medical treatment
The ASRC is well placed to provide the intensive casework support needed for medical transfers because we have the years of expertise, relationships, and systems required.
It all starts
with a phone call…
STEP 1: REFERRAL
The ASRC’s triage team are the first point of contact when someone is applying for an urgent medical transfer. From responding to initial enquiries to managing client medical files. They work on obtaining enough information to refer them onto onto the MERG triage doctors.
STEP 2: TRIAGE
Specialised MERG triage doctors manage and assesses the medical needs of the applicant in consultation with our social workers and other medical specialists.
They work directly with on-island services to ensure mental and physical health concerns are managed and the individual being assessed is supported through the Medevac application process.
STEP 3: CASEWORK
Our caseworkers are at the forefront of the entire Medevac process, collecting important case notes, they are also here to provide those who are sick with a point of connection here in Australia and voice of compassion and care on the phone while being an expert advocate to ensure their medical transfer is approved.
STEP 4: APPLICATION
Comprehensive documentation will be collected from our caseworkers and given to MERG doctors and lawyers. They will then provide the necessary information to the Department and the Minister.
STEP 5: MEDEVAC LEGISLATION PROCESS
The Minister of Home Affairs will review individual applications and will make the final decision on whether someone is sick enough to be transferred to receive medical care in Australia.
YES – APPLICATION SUCCESSFUL | NO – APPLICATION UNSUCCESSFUL |
---|---|
The Minister has approved medical application and they will be transferred to Australia for urgent treatment and assessment. | The Minister refuses the application and decides the case is not medically necessary. An Independent Health Assessment panel, which is made up of nine doctors, will re-review the application. |
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THOSE REFUSED?
Our caseworkers will continue to work with those who have been refused urgent medical transfers.
This is a fight we’re not going to give up on, but we need your help to make medical evacuations a possibility for those left behind.
Prolonged time in offshore detention is continuing to take a significant toll on the physical and mental well-being of already sick refugees and people seeking asylum that are being held in Nauru and Papua New Guinea.
Hundreds are still languishing in brutal detention facilities where 12 people have died already and where medical care is grossly inadequate.
Your generous donation to the ASRC’s Medevac EMERGENCY APPEAL ensures our dedicated team can continue to help manage the complex Medevac application process for those left behind.
Access to medical care is a basic human right and we can’t turn our backs on those who need care the most.
Donate NOW because lives are at risk and Medevac can save them.
You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/
As you may be aware, there are changes occurring at the ASRC.
To plan for these changes to make the ASRC sustainable into the future:
The Footscray centre will close to all visitors every Wednesday.
Every Friday, some services will be closed but the Foodbank, Health, Legal and Hub services will remain open.
To access our services, you can phone 03 9326 6066 or come to the ASRC Footscray in person during opening hours.
The Reception Team will greet you and link you with our services.
As you may be aware, there are changes occurring at the ASRC.
To plan for these changes to make the ASRC sustainable into the future:
The Footscray centre will close to all visitors every Wednesday.
Every Friday, some services will be closed but the Foodbank, Health, Legal and Hub services will remain open.
To access our services, you can phone 03 9326 6066 or come to the ASRC Footscray in person during opening hours. The Reception Team will greet you and link you with our services.
The Government has announced it will provide pathways for TPV/SHEV holders and TPV/SHEV applicants to
be assessed for RoS visas. RoS visas are permanent visas that allow holders to live, work and study in Australia,
access government services such as Medicare and Centrelink, and sponsor eligible family members for
permanent residence.
Click here for Permanent Visa Pathways for TPV/SHEV Holders & Applicants Fact Sheet
The Fact Sheet is also available in: Dari – Urdu – Arabic – Tamil
Thanks for your interest in supporting the ASRC Telethon on World Refugee Day, Monday 20th June.
Complete this form with your details and we will send you an email reminder before the event as well as alerts throughout the day when key activities happen.
Please note: all requests submitted to the Marketing Services Model will not be worked on until 1 July 2022 to allow the team space to focus on projects such as the Winter Appeal and Telethon.
You are welcome to submit requests and we’d love to support – we ask that you please supply a reasonable due date, keeping in mind we will not tend to the request until July. Thank you!
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners across Australia and pay respect to their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. We acknowledge sovereignty of the lands upon which we work and live have never been ceded.
The centre is OPEN again from Tuesday 11th – Friday 14th (10am – 5pm).
We will return to normal operating hours (10am – 5pm, Monday – Friday), from Monday 17th of January onwards.
The centre is OPEN again from Tuesday 11th – Friday 14th (10am – 5pm).
We will return to normal operating hours (10am – 5pm, Monday – Friday), from Monday 17th of January onwards.
If you applied for a TPV or SHEV visa between 2015 and 2017 and have not already attended a Protection visa interview with the Department, please contact the ASRC urgently for legal assistance. CALL: Fast track hotline 0422035324 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or email legal@asrc.org.au
The application interview is your only chance to explain your case to the Department. Update your contact details with the Department to receive your Interview Invitation (the ASRC can also help you do this).
Click here to learn more (Info sheet Fast Track interviews).
Click here to read info sheet in other languages.
“I can’t erase racism by myself. It’s only if we all come together to accept that there is an issue and work together that we can make a change.”
Prudence Melom, founder and CEO of E-RACED
“Growing in a refugee camp and experiencing hardship from a young age I felt very misunderstood among my peers in Australia. Kids my age did not understand why my skin was darker, they didn’t understand why my accent was a little different and they didn’t understand why I came to Australia.
“I was inspired to start E-RACED after experiencing first hand the effects of racism in this country and the power of sharing my story to completely change people’s attitudes. Never underestimate the power of one-on-one interactions and sharing stories to change the world.”
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Connect with us
Need help from the ASRC? Call 03 9326 6066 or visit us: Mon-Tue-Thur-Fri 10am -5pm. Closed on Wednesdays.