Migrants in vulnerable circumstances: not a quick fix

In August 2021, evacuated families from Afghanistan arrived at short notice in UK hotels. A WhatsApp group under the banner ‘Clinicians for Refugees’ was rapidly set up to manage the outpouring of offers of help from UK clinicians. Contrast this to 76% of vulnerable patients excluded from registering with GP practices due to lack of documentation. The issues faced by asylum seekers and refugees (ASR) are unfortunately not new; however, the situation in Afghanistan brings them to the forefront of people’s attention. Primary care is best suited to providing holistic and appropriate care, but it cannot be done in a 10-minute consultation, nor with short-term interventionist strategies relying on volunteers and goodwill. Using the example of Afghanistan, we highlight long-term best practice.