Detention Health Framework
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship's (DIAC's) key document describing the policy framework for health services for people in immigration detention is the Detention Health Framework.
See: Detention Health Framework (1.7MB PDF file)
The framework articulates:
- the background to change, in particular the Inquiry into the Circumstances of the Immigration Detention of Cornelia Rau (the Palmer Report), the Inquiry into the Circumstances of the Vivian Alvarez Matter (the Comrie Report) and the 247 other cases involving immigration detention matters referred to the Commonwealth Ombudsman in 2005 and 2006
- the expanded range of immigration detention placement options established following these inquiries
- historical and more recent trends in the immigration detention caseload
- five core health principles underpinning a new approach to health care for people in immigration detention
- key health risks and issues for people in immigration detention, and the health service's response
- practical arrangements for health service delivery, including the spectrum of health care and processes for delivering it
- a comprehensive program for ongoing quality improvement, including effective governance, continuous improvement and the establishment of an evidence base
- expanded arrangements for external scrutiny and stakeholder engagement, particularly through a close working relationship with state and territory health services and the newly established Detention Health Advisory Group (DeHAG)
See: Detention Health Advisory Group (DeHAG) - a three (3) year action plan for implementing the framework, including accreditation of health services in immigration detention centres against the new RACGP standards.
See: The RACGP Standards for health services in Australian immigration detention centres