Government publishes national partnership agreement to improve healthcare for people seeking asylum

The Home Office, Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and the UK Health Security Agency have published a new National Partnership Agreement on meeting the health and wellbeing needs of people seeking asylum in England, setting out how national organisations will work together between 2025 and 2028 to improve access to healthcare and strengthen joint working across the asylum system. The agreement was published on 30 July 2026.

The agreement establishes a shared framework for collaboration between the four organisations, with a focus on ensuring that people seeking asylum can access appropriate healthcare while supporting local health systems and accommodation providers to respond to changing demand. It builds on existing national and regional partnership arrangements and aims to improve coordination between health services and the asylum system.

The document identifies several priorities, including improving access to primary care, mental health services and vaccination programmes, strengthening health assessments on arrival, reducing the spread of communicable diseases, improving safeguarding arrangements and ensuring that health information is shared appropriately between organisations where necessary. It also highlights the importance of planning for people with complex physical or mental health needs and those requiring ongoing treatment.

The agreement confirms that national partners will continue to work together through Strategic Health Oversight Groups, providing leadership, monitoring emerging health risks and supporting integrated responses at regional and local level. It also sets out responsibilities for each organisation, including oversight of healthcare provision, public health protection, data sharing and operational planning.

According to the government, the partnership is intended to support consistent, joined-up delivery of healthcare for people seeking asylum while helping health and asylum services respond effectively to changing demand and emerging public health challenges over the next three years.

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