Doctors warn immigration system harms asylum seekers’ mental health

Dr Lade Smith, president of the RCP, said that the UK has a duty to improve the lives of asylum seekers, not worsen them.

• EasternEye
• 14 October, 2024

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By: EasternEye

TOP doctors have raised concerns over the UK’s immigration system, calling it a “public mental health concern” that harms asylum seekers and risks re-traumatising those already suffering from psychological distress.

According to The Guardian, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCP) is urging the government to reconsider immigration laws, stating that they have a “moral and ethical obligation” to protect the mental health of those seeking refuge in the UK.

Dr Lade Smith, president of the RCP, stated that many asylum seekers arrive in the UK after experiencing violence, imprisonment, and torture in their home countries, followed by further trauma during their journeys.

“A robust immigration policy can still be guided by human kindness, that is fair and compassionate,” she said.

Smith emphasised that the UK has a duty to improve the lives of asylum seekers, not worsen them.

While the government has scrapped plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, key immigration legislation from 2022 remains. This legislation criminalises asylum seekers who do not use established routes and allows for processing claims in “third” countries.

The issue of asylum seekers’ mental health came into focus last year after a suicide on the Bibby Stockholm barge in Dorset. The barge, criticised for poor conditions, is set to close in January, reported the newspaper.

An RCP report to be published this week also highlights issues in detention facilities and asylum seeker hotels, calling for immigration laws that support those with mental illness.

A Home Office spokesperson stated that mental health support is available to all asylum seekers, and the department will review the RCP’s report.