Irish medical journal
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To investigate the interface between primary care and paediatric services in the referral of asylum seekers. Over a 3 month period a questionnaire was administered, and clinical data gathered on every child attending the A&E department of UCHG whose parents were seeking asylum in this country. ⋯ The rate of subsequent admission to the paediatric ward from A&E was nearly that in asylum seeker children (24%) compared to Irish controls (40%), get to hospital, compared to just 4% of Irish children. Asylum seeker children are less likely to have seen a GP prior to A&E presentation, more likely to go to hospital by ambulance and less likely to be subsequently admitted, suggesting an over-dependence on paediatric hospital services in this population.