Human trafficking, modern slavery and the UK’s National Referral Mechanism

SUMMARY This article outlines the UK’s National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for victims of human trafficking and modern slavery and the psychiatrist’s roles and responsibilities within this framework. Individuals referred to the NRM often give harrowing and complex accounts of trauma and exploitation that are difficult to disclose in a single assessment. They present with a range of mental disorders, including depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychiatrists encounter such victims in many settings, including emergency departments, community and in-patient settings, the criminal justice system and when providing expert psychiatric reports, especially in immigration and asylum cases. Psychiatrists need to consider a range of issues when conducting assessments, providing or overseeing treatment and preparing psychiatric reports. These include diagnosis of mental disorder, identifying and managing treatment and recovery needs, and providing support to help reintegration into society. These issues are important for psychiatrists and mental health specialists, given the pivotal role they play in helping to ensure victims of trafficking and modern slavery are identified, referred to the NRM and receive the support and treatment they require.