Aims and Objectives The number of Asylum Seekers awaiting decisions on their claims has tripled since 2014. How we meet international obligations to provide appropriate healthcare to this population is therefore an increasingly pertinent issue. The views of frontline healthcare workers are vital to ensure the development of sustainable and effective health policy when it comes to caring for this group. This study aims to explore the views held by Emergency Care Providers (ECP) towards providing healthcare to Asylum Seekers and Refugees (ASR) in the UK. A literature search found no articles which researched this question in the UK, highlighting that this is not only an important but also an under-explored topic.

Method and Design This is a single-site qualitative study carried out in an Emergency Department (ED) in Glasgow. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with ECPs working in the ED. Participants were recruited by email using a purposive sampling technique to achieve a balance between Nurses and Doctors. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. A thematic analysis framework was developed by highlighting relevant codes within the transcriptions and combining and categorising these into relevant themes and subthemes.

Results and Conclusion 12 semi-structured interviews were carried out – 6 Doctors and 6 Nurses. 6 themes were developed across a spectrum of themes related to the individual and those related to the health system as a whole, namely: Behaviour and Culture; Presentation Patterns; Health System Literacy; ED Structure and Capacity; and Beyond the ED. Quotations outlined in the table attached demonstrates aspects of the themes identified. Portions of the data reflect previous findings - for example language barrier - highlighting their generalisability. New themes are also brought to light including particular issues around ED triage and safe discharge and follow-up. The findings provide a focus and direction for further research and have the potential to inform health policy directly.