Abstract Body

Background
Migrants suffer disproportionally from the economic and social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, often worsening their living and working conditions. This has resulted in high levels of mental distress. Existing disparities in accessing healthcare, including different entitlements to care, and psychosocial support are exacerbated rather than facilitated by remote care consultations. Lack of understandable, translated information exacerbates barriers. GPs, already experiencing a high workload and their own work-related mental health issues, often find it hard support the mental health of their patients in these conditions, and identifying and utilizing all resources available to them .

Aim and learning objectives

The aim is to support family practices in meeting the mental health needs of their migrant patients in the new circumstances.

Learning objectives

Increased knowledge of the mental health of migrants; enhancing and deteriorating factors like the impact of the pandemic and of unconscious bias in health care professionals

Increased awareness of unconscious bias within healthcare professionals and the wider community, and of the need to use professionals interpreters

Increased knowledge of existing tools and information to support migrants and professionals

Methods and timetable

Short presentations (in total 30 minutes) will be combined with two small group discussions in break-out rooms (40 minutes) with plenary discussion (20 minutes).An interactive element will be used during the presentations to elicit participant responses on one key statement from every presenter.

Proposed results and outcomes

Participants will have a higher level of awareness of their own biases, more insight and knowledge of the mental health of migrants and ways to support their migrant patients.

Abstract Body

Background

During the pandemic asylum seekers and undocumented migrants were moved to hotel accommodation. Their medical staff felt responsibilities for infection control, protecting patients living in close-quarters and themselves, alongside managing physical, psychological and social needs, some long-neglected.

Methods

A professional conversation between the lead GP and their supervisor generated themes around the value of clinical supervision during stressful, emotive and unfamiliar situations.

Results

Building team rapport and managing emotional wellbeing in an unprecedented situation required rapid learning. Barriers to care were outside the usual experience of clinicians and included working with people who do not have safety-nets. The frustrations of exclusion, racism and lack of safeguarding were emotional and exhausting. Seemingly simple referral pathways became a focus for challenge, extending the clinicians advocacy roles. Values-based care came to the fore. Learning from the emergency situation effected a conversation about longer term needs of marginalised people.

Conclusions

Understanding the needs of primary care medical teams to manage the emotional impact of their work proved valuable. Through sharing the burden, focussing on what could be achieved and validating their work to advocate for rights to care, an effective team was built. Framing the work as challenging, but rewarding, is transferable to clinicians working with other marginalised groups. Supervision has been shown in other professions, where clinicians are part of people’s difficult lives, to help prevent burnout and retain skilled personnel. It is our contention that GPs make use of formal opportunities to share the impact of their work.

Abstract Body

Background and purpose

Following the international Black Lives Matter protests and the murder of George Floyd, medical students felt empowered to contact their medical schools and demand action against racism in Higher Education. This student voice became a powerful enabler of activities, jointly co-ordinated through our Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) committee, with a wider scope than anticipated.

Methods

The actions of the EDI committee were logged in meeting minutes. After six months these notes were reviewed and represented in diagrammatic form to show both the interconnectedness of this work and the rapid timescale in which it was achieved.

Results

The poster displays the multiple strands of involvement in curriculum review, design and development, staff development and student support and awareness raising that has been achieved in a short time frame.

Discussion

EDI issues are commonly described in Higher Education and form the topic of debate without any real action ensuing to challenge the status quo. The impetus gained by forming a committee with genuine staff and student co-production gave new life to making tangible interventions. It is a start to challenging the culture of acceptance of injustice in medical education.

Abstract Body

1. Background
Migrants and ethnic minorities are suffering disproportionally during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially those with insecure living circumstances like refugees on the move or undocumented migrants. They have higher risk for worse outcomes of COVID-19 infection, and suffer more from the economic and social consequences of the pandemic. Their access to healthcare is hampered by infection control measures, resulting in more remote consultations and less continuity of care. This is amplified by digital poverty and fear of authority.

2. Aim and learning objectives

The aim is to support family practices in meeting the needs of vulnerable migrants during pandemic restrictions

Learning objectives:

- Increased knowledge of the physical, mental and social impact of the pandemic in different migrant groups

- Raise awareness of the advocacy role of the Family Doctor (FD) in ensuring equitable access to vaccinations

- Development of skills to provide good quality remote care across language and cultural barriers, and to improve continuity of care for migrants on the move.

3. Methods and timetable

Short presentations (in total 30 minutes) will be combined with small group discussions in break-out rooms (30 minutes) to share ideas and tools. A plenary discussion (20 minutes) and speed debate will cover the role of the FD (10 minutes)

4. Proposed results and outcomes

Participants will have a clear view of their own role, knowledge of COVID-19 related health risks of ethnic minorities and become aware of practical tools to support remote care consultations with settled migrants and continuity of care in migrants on the move.

Abstract Body

Background

During the pandemic asylum seekers and undocumented migrants were moved to hotel accommodation. Their medical staff felt responsibilities for infection control, protecting patients living in close-quarters and themselves, alongside managing physical, psychological and social needs, some long-neglected.

Methods

A professional conversation between the lead GP and their supervisor generated themes around the value of clinical supervision during stressful, emotive and unfamiliar situations.

Results

Building team rapport and managing emotional wellbeing in an unprecedented situation required rapid learning. Barriers to care were outside the usual experience of clinicians and included working with people who do not have safety-nets. The frustrations of exclusion, racism and lack of safeguarding were emotional and exhausting. Seemingly simple referral pathways became a focus for challenge, extending the clinicians advocacy roles. Values-based care came to the fore. Learning from the emergency situation effected a conversation about longer term needs of marginalised people.

Conclusions

Understanding the needs of primary care medical teams to manage the emotional impact of their work proved valuable. Through sharing the burden, focussing on what could be achieved and validating their work to advocate for rights to care, an effective team was built. Framing the work as challenging, but rewarding, is transferable to clinicians working with other marginalised groups. Supervision has been shown in other professions, where clinicians are part of people’s difficult lives, to help prevent burnout and retain skilled personnel. It is our contention that GPs make use of formal opportunities to share the impact of their work.

Abstract Body

Background and purpose

Following the international Black Lives Matter protests and the murder of George Floyd, medical students felt empowered to contact their medical schools and demand action against racism in Higher Education. This student voice became a powerful enabler of activities, jointly co-ordinated through our Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) committee, with a wider scope than anticipated.

Methods

The actions of the EDI committee were logged in meeting minutes. After six months these notes were reviewed and represented in diagrammatic form to show both the interconnectedness of this work and the rapid timescale in which it was achieved.

Results

The poster displays the multiple strands of involvement in curriculum review, design and development, staff development and student support and awareness raising that has been achieved in a short time frame.

Discussion

EDI issues are commonly described in Higher Education and form the topic of debate without any real action ensuing to challenge the status quo. The impetus gained by forming a committee with genuine staff and student co-production gave new life to making tangible interventions. It is a start to challenging the culture of acceptance of injustice in medical education.