Welcome to the normal of an undocumented migrant – Joseph’s story

This Refugee Week, Doctors of the World are introducing the members of its National Health Advisors, an advisory group of people with lived experience of migration and healthcare exclusion, to ensure migrants have a greater influence over healthcare policy and practice.      Joseph is one of the DOTW National Health Advisors, and he wants to share his story with you. – In March 2020, I had some severe symptoms of COVID-19. I was struggling to breathe so I phoned 111 and was told to go to A&E. When I arrived, I saw a big sign outside and inside the A&E saying that you need to pay your health surcharge if you are a migrant, or you should have the right to use the NHS.   In my whole life I have never had breathing problems like I started to have that day.  At the entrance there was a triage nurse, who made sure everyone was wearing a mask and she decided where all the patients went. Some went to the children’s ward, others went straight past the waiting reception area and were admitted right away, I was told to wait in the reception area of A&E.  I was told to wait in an isolated area in the reception area of A&E, where only those suspected Covid-19 patients were waiting. After waiting a few hours in that isolation area where suspected Covid-19 patients wait, I was seen by the doctor, then held for observation for eight hours.   No Covid-19 t...
Source: Doctors of the World News - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Uncategorised Source Type: news