How to Write a Good SSM in Asylum Health

How to write a good SSM in homelessness and health

Tips to help move your essay from ‘good’ to ‘excellent’.

Overall tip is that it should be readable – short paragraphs, with headings, and correct spelling, and good grammar. See previous SSM’s in FADE library.

1. Standard cover sheet – block capitals please

2. Front page – black and white picture, quote with reference

3. Abstract/summary – maximum one page A4

Headings – background, aims, method, results, conclusion

4. Contents page

5. Learning Objectives (3). Core learning activities (3).

5.a Acknowledgements and thanks.

6. Introduction: GMC duties of a doctor, Beauchamp and Childress 4

principles of medical ethics, Global/National/Local perspectives.

7. Definitions: Health (WHO), Human Rights, Inverse Care Law, Health

Inequalities, Poverty, Homelessness, Rough sleeper, Substance Misuse,

Harm Reduction, Asylum seeker, Sanctuary, PTSD, Depression, Drug

Related Death, Suicide, Domestic violence, Street worker.

8. Key statistics for Liverpool – include estimated number homeless asylum

seekers.

9. Media portrayal of the homeless and substance misusers.

10. Case histories (two maximum)

11. The UK asylum process – 3 out of 4 asylum seekers are refused asylum.

All are refused the right to work, are ‘not eligible for public

funds’, are vulnerably housed, are victims of institutional prejudice (eg

NASS system), and most are violently removed by UK

Government.

12. Key health problems of British born homeless: substance misuse, mental

health (depression, PTSD, personality disorder, psychosis), social

problems (including child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, and

street working), Hepatitis C, prison/offender health, detention centre

health, access to NHS health care.

13. Method of search – Medline, Embase, Scopus etc – 1-2 pages.

14. Results of literature review – LANCET article preferred.

15. Strengths and weaknesses of article. Limitations, and areas for further

study.

16. Discussion: Global/National/Local perspectives.

17. Conclusions – preferably half page with three bullet points.

18. Recommendations, for UK and Liverpool, 3 bullet points each.

19. Bibliography – most useful books – maximum of three.

20. References (20 -30 maximum). Highlight best three references from

the list, with one line description why they were chosen.

21. Reflection.

22. Appendices:

• GMC duties of a doctor
• Timetable.
• Presentation (for journal club, 6 PowerPoint slides, on one page A4)
• Resource list: ten key contacts with name, job title, postal address,
• telephone number, email – list in order of usefulness.
• Resource list: ten best websites – list in order of usefulness.