Despite the challenges, the provision of high-quality specialist antenatal health care in immigration detention is a constant
Recent commentaries have criticised health care provision in the Australian immigration detention environment, particularly in the areas of antenatal and postnatal care.1,2 As the contracted health care provider, International Health and Medical Services (IHMS) acknowledges the inherent challenges the immigration detention environment presents. It is our wish to contribute current facts and observations to this topical public debate.
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- 1. de Costa CM. Antenatal care for asylum seeker women: is “good enough” good enough? Med J Aust 2014; 201: 299-300. <MJA full text>
- 2. Sanggaran JP, Ferguson GM, Haire BG. Ethical challenges for doctors working in immigration detention. Med J Aust 2014; 201: 377-378. <MJA full text>
- 3. Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Routine antenatal assessment in the absence of pregnancy complications. College statement C-Obs 03b. Melbourne: RANZCOG, 2013. http://www.ranzcog.edu.au/doc/routine-antenatal-assessment-in-the-absence-of-pregnancy-complications.html (accessed Nov 2014).
- 4. beyondblue. Clinical practice guidelines for depression and related disorders — anxiety, bipolar disorder and puerperal psychosis — in the perinatal period. A guideline for primary care health professionals. Melbourne: beyondblue, 2011. http://resources.beyondblue.org.au/prism/file?token=BL/0891 (accessed Nov 2014).
Mark Parrish and Anthony Renshaw are employed by IHMS. Gregory Duncombe, Paul Bretz and William Milford have provided specialist obstetric services to IHMS.