Up to 41,000 Australians are subject to forms of modern slavery. GPs play a key role in intervention.
GPs aren’t expected to diagnose modern slavery, but they can learn to recognise the often-covert signs and connect patients with support, according to a new resource launched in Dubbo last week by NSW Anti-Slavery Commissioner Dr James Cockayne.
The state-first Understanding modern slavery in healthcare settings: An introduction for NSW healthcare workers resource was developed by the Office of the NSW Anti-Slavery Commissioner (OASC) through the It’s Healthy to Fight Modern Slavery initiative established in 2024.
The resource aims to help healthcare workers recognise the indicators of modern slavery and respond appropriately through six steps – recognise, respond, educate, empower, refer, and follow up.
“It’s an educational resource available to both public and private healthcare actors, including GPs. It works across all [healthcare] settings and is available across NSW,” Dr Cockayne told The Medical Republic.
The resource did not constitute a policy directive, clinical procedure or mandatory requirement, and did not replace or override NSW Health policy.
Approximately 68% of people who experience human trafficking access healthcare at least once during their exploitation, according to international research, which can make a clinic visit one of the few opportunities to identify them and offer support.
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Dr Cockayne said he launched the resource in Dubbo because regional health and community services were often deeply connected to and trusted by the local community, and could therefore play an integral role in identifying exploitation.
He also told TMR the office had seen an increase in modern slavery reports from healthcare settings since the initiative began, but said whether other states and jurisdictions adopt similar resources would be up to them.
“As healthcare workers have access to appropriate information about how to recognise victims of slavery and what kinds of supports are available to them, we’re seeing a steady increase in reported cases from healthcare settings,” he said.
The NSW anti-slavery commissioner’s hotline, 1800 FREEDOM, provides practitioners with confidential advice and support on available reporting options.
“That information can be shared notwithstanding limitations under medical and privacy laws around sharing medical information, and no liability can arise for a worker that shares such information with the hotline,” he said.
Gargi Ganguly, vice chair of the not-for-profit Guide Foundation, said language barriers, limited access to services and geographic isolation could heighten vulnerability to exploitation in NSW, making healthcare professionals crucial to building trust and connection.
“The launch of this resource in Dubbo is an important step towards ensuring that modern slavery is recognised, that vulnerable people are heard and supported, and that where someone lives or where they come from never determines their right to dignity, safety and freedom,” she said.
Modern slavery can occur when an organisation or person exploits another person’s social, personal or structural vulnerability, and when systems or environments are ineffective, or safeguards, support or assistance are removed.
The resource cited financial hardship, addiction, insecure migration status, disability, trauma, isolation and limited rights awareness as exploitation risks.
Warning signs included injuries inconsistent with medical history, late presentations or delayed appointments despite serious concerns, claims of being unable to leave work, accommodation, or another person, and limited access to identification documents.
Untreated injuries, fatigue, malnutrition, anxiety, trauma, depression, emotional distress and repeated STIs were also signs that could raise concern.
GPs could offer information about trusted services, or referral to them, where safe to do so. These included housing help, counselling, workplace rights, reporting unsafe work, professional interpreters, and follow-up care.
Respecting patients’ care decisions, preferences, and informed consent for treatment and referrals, and providing trauma-informed care, was described as essential to restoring choice that exploitation removes.
In the resource case studies, one woman stopped attending wound-care appointments due to being overwhelmed by medical, legal and support-service meetings.
Rather than assuming non-compliance, the resource advised exploring patients’ immediate priorities and collaborating with their case managers to develop a more manageable healthcare plan for those inundated with appointments.
Recovery should be measured not only by whether the patient left exploitation or engaged with police, but also by whether they attend follow-up appointments, access support services and rebuild social connections, the guideline read.
Read the full guideline here.
