Australian Health Care System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Australian Health Care System - Essay Example Proper health care is essential because one can never be sure of the physical and psychological trauma the immigrant or refugee has endured. Compounding the problem is the language problem in case the immigrant is unable to converse in English. There is the need to engage doctors, nurses and other health service workers who understand the immigrants' languages. Australia is a multicultural society. The land is open to receive skilled workers. There is also a blossoming tourist industry. People emigrating from as far as Sudan also reach Australia to make life for themselves. It is necessary to provide primary health care for recently arrived immigrant groups. Many of these people come from countries that have different models of health care compared to Australia. For some, the concept of private insurance or universal insurance is difficult to understand. These clients of local community centre may not have private health insurance and need to access public health services. It is important to bear in mind that many of these people are highly skilled in their sphere of work. They are capable of integrating with the rest of the population in Australia and making a good life for themselves once their health issues are addressed. We are concerned with health issues of immigrants and refugees who are vulnerable to poor health and have ... There is the issue of culture shock these immigrants may undergo. Addressing their health care will also ensure that they settle down quickly to their new way of life in Australia. Primary Health Care We are concerned with health issues of immigrants and refugees who are vulnerable to poor health and have different and complex health backgrounds as compared to the broader Australian community. Some of them come from very difficult situations and it is unsure if they are getting their health needs met post-immigration in Australia. Basic health issues such as vaccination coverage that health care providers might take for granted as having been attended are known to be major areas of deficiency in refugee populations. There are other factors that contribute to difficulties with accessing appropriate and comprehensive care. These include difficulties with language and literacy, lack of familiarity with health care system, lack of awareness of refugee health issues as well as the fragmented nature of current health care delivery for refugee population. These immigrants need to be vaccinated appropriately and it is not known if they are getting it. It is also not known if they are getting adequate and comprehensive health care. More research is needed to track them down and find out if they are diligently seeking and receiving the health care necessary in the initial stages of their stay in Australia. If they are not receiving the needed health care, it is necessary to find out the reasons why they are not receiving it. Normally, a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travelers over one year of age within six days of having stayed in Australia. The purpose of these measures is to