QIRCH MOU

Since 1 January 2007 the Queensland Integrated Refugee Community Health (QIRCH) Clinic’s auspice has been through Mater Health Services. QIRCH is a Mater Health Services program and is generously supported by its major sponsor St Vincent’s and Holy Spirit Health, and Queensland Health.

The clinic provides an integrated, coordinated and culturally sensitive service to people of a refugee background settling into Australia, and those without access to Medicare.

QIRCH has come a long way since its early beginnings. In 1999, a gap for access and integration in refugee health care was identified, followed in 2000 by the formation of a network of 30 organisations, including Mater Health Services, to address the issue.

In 2002 the clinic opened part-time, staffed by two volunteer General Practitioners (GP) and a Mater volunteer for administrative support. In 2005, the clinic opened full-time and by 2006, there were seven GPs, a clinic coordinator, manager, clinical nurse, community nurse and administrative assistant.

QIRCH aims to be a centre of excellence in holistic client-centred health care for refugees, underpinned by the mission and values of the Mater and the principles of justice. In 2007, approximately 66% of the clinic’s clients were identified as permanent residents. The majority of people were of east and west African origin and a trend was noted towards increasing client numbers from Myanmar on the Thai-Burmese border region. QIRCH’s client group is characterised by histories of torture, trauma, family and cultural dislocation, and histories of lack of access to adequate nutrition and health care in refugee camps and countries of origin.

The volunteer doctors who staff QIRCH offer their time and services to refugee client groups on a rotating rostered basis. The doctors donate 50% to 100% of their earnings from Medicare back to the clinic’s operational expenses, and where a client has no access to Medicare, treatment is offered on a pro-bono basis.