Health bosses are rolling out plans for a single medical practice in Aberdeen to cover all asylum seekers now seeking refuge in the city.
Hundreds of people have sought shelter at hotels in the north-east with the number rising “week on week”.
The former Hilton Doubletree was done up this summer, and reopened to welcome people fleeing conflict abroad.
And although Aberdeen’s local leaders remain proud of doing their part in the humanitarian effort, the influx has created some practical issues.
How many asylum seekers are in Aberdeen?
This increase has created a higher demand for GP services which were already facing increasing pressures.
It has now been proposed that a single practice in the city, or practices, could cover dedicated medical care for all asylum seekers based in Aberdeen.
As of August 22, there were a total of 639 asylum seekers living across the Grampian region.
Earlier this year, it was announced asylum seekers may be forced to share hotel rooms to “double” capacity as the number of arrivals increased.
Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership (ACHSCP) chief operating officer Fraser Bell said they were still “waiting to hear” what this would mean in practice.
What are the medical needs of refugees arriving in Aberdeen?
There is an allocated health assessment team who welcome new arrivals and gather relevant information on the wellbeing of each individual.
They were scheduled to end their support services in September.
However, these arrangements have now been extended for at least another 12 months, with the room-sharing strategy creating space for hundreds more asylum seekers.
Members of the Aberdeen Integration Joint Board, which oversees health and social care in the city, have been told this will lead to an increase in GP appointments.
A number of city centre practices had to close their lists to new residents last year due to ongoing demand, with four still closed as of August.
Now, tenders will be invited from partner GPs or healthcare firms to be the sole support for all asylum seekers in Aberdeen.
Move could help ensure residents can still access their doctor
The report states: “To help general practices meet their current patient cohorts’ needs in harmony with the projected increase in demand, which can be complex in nature, it is proposed to tender for a practice(s) to support the needs of asylum seekers in the city.
“This is considered to be a proportionate approach to meeting the health needs of Aberdeen’s population whilst maintaining, so far as possible, sustainability across all general practices in the city.”
An update on the “fluid situation” will be shared at the next meeting of the board.
And read more about how refugees have been welcomed to Westhill:
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