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Our Clients

Our clients are men, women and children from over 90 countries. They include people caught in the crossfire of Northern Ireland's troubles and British former Far East prisoners of war, but most are refugees. They often suffer from the severe stress associated with losing a family, friends, home, job, culture and identity, and the fear of being returned to face further persecution.

Three thousand unaccompanied children come to the UK every year. Many have been tortured or witnessed atrocities against family members and have to deal with the emotional after-effects in the harsh context of exile. Trained Medical Foundation professionals provide therapeutic treatment and emotional support.

We see more and more people each year, and demand for our services continues to grow. 35,000 referrals have been made to the Medical Foundation since we began in 1985.

Our work

We provide support with practical help and a range of medical and therapeutic treatment, including psychotherapy, counselling, physiotherapy and complementary therapies.

Our doctors conduct forensic medical examinations and document any evidence of torture. This is done primarily for legal reasons, but clients also gain psychological benefit from being able to tell their stories to trained listeners.

Most importantly, the Medical Foundation is a place where torture survivors can feel that their experiences are recognised and believed; where they can safely express grief and anger.

In addition, we work to educate the public about torture, and we campaign to improve the law regarding the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees.

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