The 'hostile environment' and the weaponization of the UK health system

摘要

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has shone a spotlight on the value of health in our society, underscoring the health system at the beating heart of it. Discourses on the personal, social and economic significance of health, and the integrity of health systems have been propelled into the national conversation. An unprecedented volunteer effort and tributes paid to the workforce emphasize the prominent role the NHS has in our lives. Yet not everyone is able to benefit. Where many are able to readily seek the opportunity to access health centres for the treatment they need and the reassurances that come with being surrounded by health workers during a global pandemic, the disincentives for undocumented migrants and unidentified victims of trafficking to make themselves known to the health system remain as firmly entrenched as ever. With confirmed cases and mortality showing no clear sign of abating at the time of writing, these vulnerable groups have been left without a safety net in the face of 'the worst public health crisis for a generation.' (Jones 2020).