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Tony Abbott says Peter Dutton will look at revelations over detainee healthcare Tony Abbott says Peter Dutton will look at revelations over detainee healthcare
(35 minutes later)
Tony Abbott says the immigration minister will look at revelations that the healthcare provider for asylum seekers admitted fraud in detention centres was inevitable.Tony Abbott says the immigration minister will look at revelations that the healthcare provider for asylum seekers admitted fraud in detention centres was inevitable.
Related: IHMS, the healthcare giant at the heart of Australia's asylum system – explainerRelated: IHMS, the healthcare giant at the heart of Australia's asylum system – explainer
The prime minister said he was confident asylum seekers were receiving proper healthcare as it was revealed International Health and Medical Services (IHMS) had failed on many occasions to reach medical targets for caring for asylum seekers.The prime minister said he was confident asylum seekers were receiving proper healthcare as it was revealed International Health and Medical Services (IHMS) had failed on many occasions to reach medical targets for caring for asylum seekers.
“Well, I am happy to have a look at it. This is the first I have heard of this particular observation. But I am confident that the people that are being looked after in these centres in Nauru and in Manus Island are receiving good levels of healthcare,” he said in Canberra on Tuesday. The Australian Lawyers Alliance called for some of the allegations to be referred to police, Amnesty International called for the centres to be shut before someone died and the Australian Medical Association (AMA) said the healthcare was obviously inadequate.
“Well, I am happy to have a look at it. This is the first I have heard of this particular observation. But I am confident that the people that are being looked after in these centres in Nauru and in Manus Island are receiving good levels of healthcare,” Abbott said in Canberra on Tuesday.
“I am confident that we are doing what duty we have to these people but obviously I am happy to have that matter looked at by the minister for immigration [Peter Dutton].”“I am confident that we are doing what duty we have to these people but obviously I am happy to have that matter looked at by the minister for immigration [Peter Dutton].”
Guardian Australia reported IHMS admitted it was “inevitable” fraud would be committed in detention centres, that it put asylum seekers at risk by failing to meet medical targets and that it included incorrect data in reports.Guardian Australia reported IHMS admitted it was “inevitable” fraud would be committed in detention centres, that it put asylum seekers at risk by failing to meet medical targets and that it included incorrect data in reports.
Spokesman for the Australian Lawyers Alliance, Greg Barnes, called for some of the allegations to be referred to police.
“There now appears to be on the part of IHMS, a capacity to manipulate data in a way that suggests it is putting profit before healthcare of vulnerable individuals,” he said. “The other important element of it is that it is also clear from the January 2014 briefing note that IHMS and the commonwealth were failing to comply with the appropriate working with children checks.
“This is a matter that ought to be referred certainly to Comcare and to the Australian federal police. It may also be a matter for the Western Australian police.”
The AMA’s vice president, Stephen Parnis, said the system was obviously far from adequate. “It seems things are tailored to promote secrecy rather than healthcare of detainees and that is a recipe for poor health outcomes,” he said.
“We don’t regard it as acceptable and we have long called for independent medical oversight of the healthcare.”
Refugee campaign coordinator for Amnesty International Graeme McGregor said it was inevitable there would be compromises in healthcare provision with IMHS forced to make because of the extreme limitations of providing medical care in isolated detention centres, particularly offshore.
“For all of the Australian government’s claims that they have improved conditions in detention, we’re yet to see any real evidence for those claims. If the government insists on keeping people in harsh, remote detention centres, they have to show us all that they can meet basic standards of care, especially for children,” he said.
“The government has repeatedly failed to show that these detention centres are meeting basic legal and human rights standards, so they must be shut down.”
McGregor said prolonged, indefinite detention damaged people’s health, especially children and leaked documents published by Guardian Australia showed basic safeguards to protect people’s health had not been provided, such as ensuring children were vaccinated against preventable diseases.
“We all have a right to healthcare, and we’ve seen the tragic consequences of the government’s failure to ensure that right for people in detention. These facilities have to be closed before more people die in detention,” he said.
IHMS, which has received contracts from the Australian government worth more than $1.6bn, has bent, and at times broken, official targets in its care of asylum seekers, internal briefings obtained by Guardian Australia show.IHMS, which has received contracts from the Australian government worth more than $1.6bn, has bent, and at times broken, official targets in its care of asylum seekers, internal briefings obtained by Guardian Australia show.
IHMS also could not guarantee its staff had working-with-children checks and conceded it would probably fail any audit on the matter.IHMS also could not guarantee its staff had working-with-children checks and conceded it would probably fail any audit on the matter.
Among the failures to meet healthcare targets set by the immigrations department were:Among the failures to meet healthcare targets set by the immigrations department were:
A spokeswoman from the immigration department said in response to the revelations that the department was committed to ensuring that it had the best available information and expertise to manage the health of those in detention.A spokeswoman from the immigration department said in response to the revelations that the department was committed to ensuring that it had the best available information and expertise to manage the health of those in detention.
“The department has and continues to work with its service provider, IHMS, to regularly review its reporting frameworks,” she said.“The department has and continues to work with its service provider, IHMS, to regularly review its reporting frameworks,” she said.