Asylum seekers and refugees are being urged to register with a doctor as part of a campaign to celebrate the contribution they make to society.
Refugee Week started on Monday, 19 June, and runs until Sunday, June 25, with a programme of arts, cultural and educational events aiming to encourage a better understanding between communities.
NHS England has co-produced a leaflet for asylum seekers and refugees about how to register with a doctor and the BME Centre for BME Health is urging people to take action.
Carol Akroyd, Manager of the East Midlands Centre for BME Health, said: “At the centre we are focused on reducing ethnic health inequalities in the East Midlands and take huge pride in the contribution made to society by asylum seekers and refugees.
“We firmly believe in health equality for all and having access to a GP is a fundamental principle of our society, a right everyone should be entitled to. We are therefore urging asylum seekers and refugees living in the East Midlands to get registered during Refugee Week if they haven’t already.”
The leaflet explains the registration process, talks about how to find a doctor, explains the identification needed and also offers help if people are refused.
Refugee Week started in 1998 as a direct reaction to hostility in the media and society in general towards refugees and asylum seekers. The organisers say Refugee Week is now one of the leading national initiatives working to counter this negative climate, defending the importance of sanctuary and the benefits it can bring to both refugees and host communities.
For a full list of events taking place in the East Midlands to commemorate Refugee Week, click here.
