Dr Paquita De Zulueta works as a Locum GP and has volunteered as a doctor with Project:London since September 2009. The clinic depends on the commitment of volunteers, including some sessional GPs. Dr De Zulueta talks about the clinic and why she encourages others to volunteer there too.
The clinic provides medical care to those having difficulty registering with a doctor. It was set up in 2006 and last year saw over 1000 service users with medical complaints not much different from the average general practice.
The clinic is run by Doctors of the World UK (Médecins du Monde) as part of its work helping vulnerable people worldwide. At each clinic there is a volunteer doctor on hand to meet people’s immediate needs until Project:London’s Support Workers can help them register with mainstream services. The flexibility of being a Locum means I am master of my own schedule. I find working as a volunteer doctor is the perfect stop-gap with my regular Locum work, as you can pick and choose clinic sessions that suit you. From a clinical perspective you see some interesting cases, for example, I have seen a rheumatic heart disease case, which is so uncommon these days.
Doctors of the World UK have identified migrants as a key vulnerable group who have difficulty in accessing healthcare. I have always felt passionate about helping these people and it was a big reason for deciding to volunteer because I‘ve always wanted to help the underdog. Migrants tend to be vilified, marginalised and dispossessed. They are not treated as they should be and I feel I am doing my bit to rectify this. Some of the people I see at Project:London might have had no access to a doctor at all for a very long time. They are so grateful and you feel you can make a difference by using your advocacy skills to ensure they get the care they need – this can be very satisfying. Research has shown that helping other people makes you feel happier, I strongly agree with this.
I am so grateful for the life I have when I meet these people. They show such courage and endurance – it is truly humbling. This is another reason why it is so rewarding working as a Project:London doctor.”
