1 / 11

Health and Homelessness Effective interactions

Health and Homelessness Effective interactions. Lesley Dewhurst Chief Executive Oxford Homeless Pathways. Homelessness is BAD for health!. 80% have one or more physical health problem 70% have at least one mental health problem

morna
Download Presentation

Health and Homelessness Effective interactions

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Health and HomelessnessEffective interactions Lesley Dewhurst Chief Executive Oxford Homeless Pathways

  2. Homelessness is BAD for health! • 80% have one or more physical health problem • 70% have at least one mental health problem • 40% will end up in A&E in any six month period, and nearly a third will be admitted to hospital • Yet health care is NOT prioritised by most homeless people

  3. So, what works? • Services must be accessible • Emphasis on preventative services (screening and immunisation) • There must be a coherent network of services across health, social care and housing • Homelessness issues should be part of core training for health professionals

  4. Luther Street Medical Centre • Makes a huge difference to delivery of effective health care to homeless people • Located in the heart of homeless services • Holistic approach, including: • Podiatry • Dentistry • Mental health • Substance misuse services

  5. LSMC continued………. • Full health checks, including BBVs • Immunisation – Hep A and B, Flu • Periodic TB screening • Training module for medics

  6. Partnership work • O’Hanlon House – staff encourage registration on entry • Daily liaison with LSMC staff • Interaction with Street Services Outreach team • PATHS project – enabling patients to attend hospital and other medical appointments • Needle exchange at O’Hanlon House

  7. Case study – Lizzie • Mid 30’s • Previous history of long term drug use – now on Subutex script • Excessive alcohol use – liver problems • Brain injury – affecting vision and short term memory • Epilepsy • In and out of prison all her life. • Very chaotic

  8. Lizzie……how partnership worked • Slow but sure approach • Putting responsibility back onto Lizzie • Presenting options and highlighting risks • Liaising with LSMC • Being there at the right time - DETOX • Coordination of hospital admission and discharge • Still doing well in Simon House – clean and dry

  9. Recent research (Homeless Link) tells us… • Oversight of local H & WB Board is essential • H & WB Board must work with housing and related support agencies – integration not competition

  10. Some practical steps • Homeless people’s needs should be included in every JSNA, H&WB strategy and commissioning plans (Health Needs Audit Toolkit) • Service users can be involved in this process (Homelessness and Health Peer Activity Toolkit)

  11. Final message • Homeless people can be very expensive if problems are not nipped in the bud • Keep us involved! We want to help with the planning and delivery of health services

More Related