If you are new to Australia you won’t know about the health system. You may have had different experiences. You may not have received proper care.
You will need help and care if you are very sick. This care can be from your family. It can also be from the local community or from a local Doctor. You can also get help from a refugee service or from a palliative care service.
If you have been forced to move away from your home you may have many problems. You will have moved to a new country with new and unfamiliar things. This could be language, customs, health care, housing or work. You may have left family and friends, or they may have died or been killed. You may have escaped war or conflict and may have been tortured or persecuted.
Health professionals may not understand what has happened to you in the past. It is important that you tell them of your past problems. They also need to know what is happening to you and your family now. These things from the past could be affecting your health, wellbeing, and how you function. Telling them all of this helps them to take better care of you and to prevent health problems occurring.
Palliative Care
If you have been referred to palliative care it does not mean that everyone is giving up. Palliative care helps you to live well even if you are very ill. There is a CareSearch page called
What is Palliative Care? that will help to explain.