On 5 July 2024, a new UK government was formed.
Doctors of the World’s National Health Advisors – a group of Experts by Experience with experience of migration, healthcare exclusion, and the asylum system – have produced a Prescription for Change for the new government, which lays out what is needed now to improve the health and wellbeing of people living in the UK, especially the most vulnerable.
It will also guide Doctors of the World’s work, directing how we work and the topics we advocate on in the first few years of this new government.
Ensure everyone can access medical care when they need it
- Properly fund and staff the NHS to meet the needs of people living in the UK.
- Increase the number of GP appointments and make it easier to make a GP appointment.
- Prioritise vaccine catch-up for everyone accessing the NHS for the first time.
- Make sure dental care and prescriptions are affordable for everyone.
- Increase the mental health provision to reduce waiting lists, and improve mental health support for people in the asylum system.
- Provide resources so everyone knows how the NHS works and how to access the right NHS service.
Strengthen the right to healthcare in the UK
- Abolish all charges for NHS services, including the immigration health surcharge, for everyone who lives in the UK.
- Provide a guarantee that NHS information will not be shared with the Home Office for immigration reasons without consent.
Champion a safe and fair immigration system
- Speak out against divisive and scapegoating rhetoric and champion the positive contribution migrants and refugees make to the UK.
- Ensure UK foreign policy works to address the reasons people are forced to migrate and advocate for a global humanitarian response to migration.
- Open up safe routes to the UK for people in need of protection and for family reunion.
- End the Rwanda policy and provide a commitment that UK asylum applications will always be processed in the UK.
- Bring fairness and compassion to the asylum system, with timely asylum decision making, good access to legal representation. Prioritise mitigating traumatisation and the best interests of children.
Enable everyone in the UK to live a safe and healthy life
- Ensure everyone living in the UK can access good, nutritious food.
- End use of hotels and large sites as Home Office accommodation.
- House people seeking asylum in communities and ensure accommodation considers a person’s health needs and prioritise the best interests of children.
- Require Home Office accommodation to meet high health, safety and hygiene standards.
- Lift the ban on sanctuary seekers right to work and provide more opportunities for training, English language classes and support into employment and education.
- Provide a fairer and more supportive process for clinicians trained outside of the UK to re-qualify and work in the UK.
