STANDARD 29: Ensure access to necessary healthcare, equal to that of nationals including preventive, mental, physical and psychosocial care.

Indicator 29.1: Unaccompanied children have access to all types of necessary healthcare services.

• Additional remarks: Where possible, gender should be taken into consideration when providing healthcare, (e.g. access to female medical personnel when requested and available).

Indicator 29.2: Qualified medical personnel provide healthcare services.

•  Additional remarks: This includes healthcare services provided within reception facilities.

Indicator 29.3: Healthcare is available within reception facilities or within a reasonable distance on foot or via public transport and if needed unaccompanied children are accompanied by staff or the representative.

• Additional remarks: For more clarification on ‘reasonable distance’, (cf. Chapter 9. Housing, subchapter 9.1. Location).
   
• To assess if a child needs to be accompanied, the child and its representative should be consulted. If children within national legislation have the right to decide to undergo certain procedures without the consent of the representative, this also has to be considered.

Indicator 29.4: Necessary healthcare, including prescribed medication, is provided free of charge or economically compensated for through the daily expenses allowance.

• Additional remarks: This means that both transport to access necessary healthcare as well as the provision with medication are free of charge (cf. Chapter 9. Housing, subchapter 9.1. Location, and Chapter 8. Food, clothing and other non-food items, and allowances, subchapter 8.3. Daily expenses allowance).

Indicator 29.5: Arrangements for safe storage and distribution of prescribed medication are in place within the reception facility.

Indicator 29.6: Adequate arrangements are in place to ensure that unaccompanied children are able to communicate effectively with the medical personnel.

• Additional remarks: In particular, this means that a trained interpreter is provided (free of charge) where necessary and in the preferred gender of the child when possible.

Indicator 29.7: Arrangements are made to ensure access to first aid in emergencies.

• Additional remarks: A first aid kit should be made accessible at all time.

Indicator 29.8: Unaccompanied children are provided with access to their medical records, without prejudice to national legislation.

•  Additional remarks: Provided the unaccompanied children have expressed their consent, the medical record can be transferred from one medical professional to another. This also includes situations when children move to another facility or undergo a Dublin transfer.

Indicator 29.9: Specific arrangements are in place for unaccompanied children with special medical needs.

• Additional remarks: This would include, for example, access to a paediatrician, gynaecologist, or prenatal healthcare or ensuring that unaccompanied children with disabilities are provided with necessary arrangements