My Working Day: Theresa Shryane, community health adviser for asylum seekers/refugees, with HSE West in Donegal, encourages the uptake of disease screening.
Asylum seekers entering Ireland are dispersed to hostels around the State and in 2002, when pregnant women or those with children were permitted to move to private rented accommodation, I started in my role as community health adviser.
All asylum seekers are supposed to be offered communicable disease screening as soon as possible after entering the State and it is my role to encourage the uptake of this screening to those coming to Donegal. I offer all asylum seekers an individual appointment, I carry out tuberculosis screening, health questionnaires, Mantoux testing and arrange chest X-rays. I explain and provide written information on HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, STIs and vaccinations.
The health screening is voluntary so I ensure that clients are making an informed decision whether they choose to have screening. I then liaise with the GP surgeries which carry out the screening.
I receive test results if clients were screened in Dublin prior to their arrival, inform the client of their results and ensure that the GP has a copy. If any test results are positive, I liaise and discuss these with the GP and public health department and ensure the client attends the GP to receive follow-up treatment.
I send out a regular newsletter with relevant information for my client group. Over the past five years, there have been many changes to the asylum process and the client group needs to be kept informed.
My job is Monday to Friday, nine to five, but my hours are flexible. I don't have very typical days but on a Monday, I start by contacting the hostel in Donegal town to see if there are any newcomers or departures and check the post to see if I have received any test results. If clients have transferred from other areas, this will involve tracing health information from there.
For newcomers, I have a health information pack translated into different languages. I call the support worker who attends the hostel 12 hours per week and ask if she has any information regarding the clients.
I go to the hostel for one-to-one sessions with individual asylum seekers in a private room. I go through the health issues with them and I can refer clients to the SPIRASI centre for counselling for people who have been tortured. I discuss the screening and may also have results to give to others.
The clients may come with other problems which I may help with or else redirect them to the appropriate person. I can arrange appointments for GPs, dentists, the Gum clinic and chest X-rays.
The most difficult part of my job is trying to have continuity of care as clients can be very transient while the easiest part is the actual interaction with clients.
I think the job would be made easier if the Department of Justice helped us to help people with mental health issues and if all specialist services for infectious diseases or torture counselling were a little closer than Dublin.
In conversation with Michelle McDonagh.