ABSTRACT
Refugee people, including those who have survived torture, are amongst the most vulnerable, disconnected, isolated and excluded people within British society. Compared to many people from well settled Black and ethnic minority (BME) communities in the UK, most refugees and asylum seekers are relatively recent arrivals, many with very complex and multiple health concerns. For survivors of torture, the relationship between human rights and wellbeing takes on an added signi®cance when not only have they had their basic human rights violated, but their right to health eroded and their well-being further affected as a result of treatment by the very authorities from whom they have sought sanctuary, the `host' society. It is argued in this chapter that mental health and psychological services as they are structured in the UK reinforce inequalities and contribute to the marginalisation and exclusion of already marginalised and vulnerable refugee survivors of torture. This chapter outlines the experiences and issues faced by many refugee survivors of torture ¯eeing to Britain, highlighting key human rights principles in developing mental and psychological health services which facilitate the protection of people's most basic human rights to dignity and health. Finally the chapter outlines some ways in which services may address the problems faced by refugees in ways that respect their human rights.
