Benefits of GP care in outreach settings for people experiencing homelessness: a qualitative study

Benefits of GP care in outreach settings for people experiencing homelessness: a qualitative study
British Journal of General Practice 2021; 71 (709): e596-e603. DOI:https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGP.2020.0749

• An exploration of experiences of people experiencing homelessness of GP care in three community outreach settings in UK.

Abstract

COVID-19 among people experiencing homelessness in England: a modelling study

COVID-19 among people experiencing homelessness in England: a modelling study
The Lancet Respiratory Medicine 23 September 2020 DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(20)30396-9

• People experiencing homelessness are vulnerable to COVID-19 due to the risk of transmission in shared accommodation and the high prevalence of comorbidities. In England, as in some other countries, preventive policies have been implemented to protect this population. We aimed to estimate the avoided deaths and health-care use among people experiencing homelessness during the so-called first wave of COVID-19 in England—ie, the peak of infections occurring between February and May, 2020—and the potential impact of COVID-19 on this population in the future.

Homeless Health Innovation Funding Programme: Evaluation

Homeless Health Innovation Funding Programme: Evaluation Report
Queens Nursing Institute 7 August 2020

• The Homeless Health programme is a national network of nurses and allied health professionals focused on improving practice, developing guidance documents, and holding conferences and workshops. The QNI commissioned this evaluation to describe and analyse some of the key outcomes of the projects, during and after the project year, and to evaluate the role and impact of the QNI in supporting them to deliver on their specific objectives.

Homeless health during COVID-19

Homeless health during COVID-19
Healthy London Partnership.

• A range of information and guidance to managing the health needs and minimising the transmission of COVID-19 within the homeless population in London.

Delivering health and care for people who sleep rough: going above and beyond

Delivering health and care for people who sleep rough: going above and beyond
Kings Fund 3 March 2020

• How four different local areas are delivering effective health and care services to people sleeping rough and what other areas might be able to learn from them.

Supporting the homeless population to access primary care in Berkshire

Primary care networks: Supporting the homeless population to access primary care in Berkshire
NHS England 11 December 2019

• A video from Berkshire about the pop up clinics that aim to address inequalities in access to general practice services and support homeless patients to access primary care.

Health matters: rough sleeping [Guidance]

Health matters: rough sleeping [Guidance]
PHE 30 September 2019

• This edition of Health Matters focuses on the scale of rough sleeping in England, the causes and consequences of rough sleeping (including the links with poor physical and mental health, prevention and effective interventions) and relevant calls to action.
• See also Deaths of homeless people in England and Wales: 2018, ONS 1 October 2019

Drug related harms in homeless populations: government response

Drug related harms in homeless populations: government response
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, Department of Health and Social Care, and Luke Hall MP 19 September 2019

• Government response to recommendations from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.
• Extract from the response:
• On behalf of the DHSC, PHE is producing commissioning guidance for the health system in 2019-20 and beyond, to help improve health services for people experiencing rough sleeping. 
•  Evaluation of models of service delivery for this cohort, funded by a Rough Sleeping Initiative grant, will identify approaches that are effective at engaging those who are homeless or at risk of being so.

Local Government Homelessness Commission 2019:Final report

Local Government Homelessness Commission 2019:Final report
Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) 20 June 2019

• The LGHC argues that a comprehensive housing and homelessness strategy is desperately needed to address the underlying causes of homelessness and give councils the powers and resources they need to carry out their duties. Sustainable and affordable housing, mental health support, addiction services, and other infrastructure are urgently needed to address the causes of homelessness.

Centre for Homelessness Impact - evidence maps

Building a culture for ending homelessness for good
Centre for Homelessness Impact 4 June 2019

• The CHI was created in response to the need for an independent voice that can focus on ensuring that policy and practice is informed by reliable evidence. Their strategy,  Building a culture for ending homelessness for good, sets out what they will do, and how they will work with others, to make a decisive move towards ending homelessness for good.
• The website includes a range of Evidence Tools support those working in homelessness to have greater impact. The Evidence and Gap Maps bring together evidence on homelessness interventions from around the world to highlight where evidence does or doesn’t exist on what works and why they work or not.

Supporting the safe discharge of homeless hospital patients

Supporting the safe discharge of homeless hospital patients
Healthy London January 2019

• This guidance document outlines the latest developments in homeless hospital discharge, including the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 and the duty it places on hospital trusts, emergency departments and urgent treatment centres.

Increasing numbers of homeless patients accessing NHS services

Streets of Shame
The Doctor (BMA) issue 5 January 2019

• Conversations with homeless people and examination of the impact of homelessness on the NHS.

Homeless health: supporting prevention and reduction in London

Homeless health:supporting prevention and reduction in London
Healthy Partnership London

• A set of resources to support work with the homeless in London including policies, commissioning guide, needs assessment toolkit and a resource pack.

Homeless Link

Homeless Link

• A charity for organisations working directly with people who become homeless in England. They carry out research into the latest trends in support for people who become homeless in England, and the issues that affect it. 
• Resources include support for assertive street outreach, co-production toolkit, managing medication, working with mental health services, brain injury and homelessness, suicide prevention, dementia training support

Centre for Homelessness Impact

Centre for Homelessness Impact

• A new resource compiling evidence around the impact of homelessness interventions. 
• The Evidence and Gap Maps bring together evidence on homelessness interventions from around the world to highlight where evidence does or doesn’t exist on what works and why they work or not. (Note maps may not work on IE browser)
• Read about it on the Campbell Centre website here.

Palliative and end of life care for Gypsies and Travellers, LGBT people and people experiencing homelessness.

Care committed to me: Delivering high quality, personalised palliative and end of life care for Gypsies and Travellers, LGBT people and people experiencing homelessness.
Hospice UK December 2018

• Set within the context of relevant research, this practical resource shares the learning from projects and emerging practice in the support of quality, personalised end of life care for Gypsies and Travellers, people experiencing homelessness and LGBT people.
• Report is listed on Hospice UK Publications page.

Nursing Care for People Experiencing Homelessness

Nursing Care for People Experiencing Homelessness
The Queen’s Nursing Institute 30 November 2018

• Homeless health nurses working in the UK were asked for their comments about what single change was most needed to improve health for people who are homeless from their perspective. 
• Their comments broadly fit four categories:
• Improving the capacity and capability of housing, health and support services
• Improving the quality of service provision and integrating care
• Improving the access patients get to health services by removing the barriers
• Increasing knowledge across the community about homelessness.

Homelessness: duty to refer – for NHS staff

Homelessness: duty to refer – for NHS staff
DHSC 14 November 2018

• On 1 October 2018, the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 introduced a new legal duty on specified public services to refer service users they consider may be homeless or threatened with homelessness to a local housing authority. This guidance provides an overview of the duty to refer for NHS staff, including how to make a referral to a local authority.

Digital Inclusion and Homeless People Research

Digital Inclusion and Homeless People Research: An investigation into access to digital inclusion for
healthcare for the homeless population.
Seaview November 2018

• In 2017, Seaview were commissioned by NHS Digital to undertake participative research with rough sleepers on their appetite for Digital Health. As the digitisation of health and care is inevitably occurring it is vital to not create further barriers for those already struggling to access essential services. The resulting research with more than 60 individuals confirmed the fact that people interviewed do want to be included in the change but also highlighted some of the barriers.

Homelessness: applying All Our Health updated guidance

Homelessness: applying All Our Health
DHSC Guidance updated 2 November 2018

• This Guidance provides examples to help healthcare professionals: 
• identify and advocate to prevent the risk of homelessness among people who have poor health 
• minimise the impact on health from homelessness among people who are already experiencing it 
• enable improved health outcomes for people experiencing homelessness so that their poor health is not a barrier to moving on to a home of their own