St Mungo’s launches new healthcare company to help homeless people

27 October 2010

St Mungo's today launched Homeless Healthcare as a way of improving healthcare services for homeless people in London and beyond.

Homeless Healthcare is a Community Interest Company, established in partnership with the Great Chapel Street GP service, to develop a centre of expertise which brings together social and medical care. It was formally launched to an audience of clients, GPs and health commissioners at the Royal College of Physicians in London today.

The CIC was launched as the charity published its latest report St Mungos Health Strategy 2008-2011 progress so far. This looks at achievements in improving healthcare services for St Mungo's 1,500 residents.

The new report concludes that interventions can save lives, speed recovery and reduce the cost of homelessness to the state. In particular the report found that:

  • People using drugs and alcohol can undergo successful psychological treatment. The report cites successful outcomes from its innovative health programmes such as the Brent Dual Diagnosis project, where people with serious mental health and substance use problems receive treatment for both within supported housing. Of Brent Dual Diagnosis clients in the last two years, none have been rehospitalised and 17 out of 18 have moved into independent living or less supported accommodation. Another pilot, Lifeworks, where clients using at least one substance were offered psychotherapy, helped almost half its clients (42%) to increase their involvement in adult further education, voluntary work, placement or employment.
  • Intermediate care based in hostels improves outcomes at no extra cost to the state. The evidence from the Intermediate Care pilot at Cedars Road in south London shows that providing nursing services integrated with social care saves the lives of homeless people and improves their quality of life whilst not costing the state any extra money.
  • Improved health knowledge of staff and dedicated palliative support can reduce the number of unsupported deaths - The number of 'sudden deaths' in our accommodation where individuals have a pre-existing condition, usually liver failure, remains far too high. St Mungo's groundbreaking Palliative Care Service, launched jointly with Marie Curie Cancer Care, has been instrumental in building awareness internally and externally of the challenges of supporting homeless people who are dying as well as providing hands on support for clients who have been identified as in the last stages of life. Currently the Co-ordinator is supporting three clients with advanced liver disease. One client who had a cancer diagnosis recently died. He was well supported throughout his illness, receiving care from the community specialist palliative care team and hospice.

Charles Fraser, Chief Executive of St Mungo's, said: "Homeless Healthcare will enable us to join with the tremendous expertise and track record of Great Chapel Street to improve services for homeless people within existing health service provision. We want to see health services brought closer to where homeless people need them, and to make the NHS pledge of a universal service a reality.

"Recovery can and should be the underlying principle for the support of homeless people. Many health problems, for example, focus on a single diagnosis and one treatment pathway. Homeless people, however, may have 12 different health problems which can't possibly be addressed individually. Our Lifeworks programme and Dual Diagnosis project in Brent show the value of treating someone's health holistically."

Dr Philip Reid of Great Chapel Street, said: "Since its creation Great Chapel Street has been working towards a comprehensive way of tackling the needs of homeless people and putting the emphasis on access to services, reducing health inequality by looking at patients' social and health circumstances and by placing them at the centre of the service provision. We're delighted to be working with St Mungo's on Homeless Healthcare towards our common aims."

Homeless Healthcare aims to be a first point consultancy for those seeking to deliver healthcare to homeless people. At the same time, it will work with existing partners and commissioners to improve services for homeless clients, and bid to provide services as and when opportunities arise.

The eight-strong board of Homeless Healthcare will consist of:

  • four members of St Mungo's Board and staff: Peter Cockersell, Julian Coningham, David Evans and Sue Virgoe;
  • Dr Philip Reid and Dr Simon Ramsden, who both work at the Great Chapel Street Medical Centre, a walk-in service for homeless people in Westminster without a registered doctor in London;
  • consultant psychiatrist Dr Philip Timms;
  • a St Mungo's client, with experience of homelessness.

Homeless Healthcare was set up with funding from the Department of Health's Social Enterprise Investment Fund. It aims to take on new staff in the next 12 months, dependent on funding and spend priorities.

ENDS

Notes

For further information contact Judith Higgin, St Mungo's, on 020 8762 5645 or email judith.higgin@mungos.org

Lifeworks is a pilot project tackling social exclusion through the provision of psychotherapy. It is funded as part of the Social Exclusion Taskforce's ACE (Adults facing Chronic Exclusion) programme. http://www.mungos.org/press_office/406_st-mungo-s-lifeworks-project-shortlisted-for-andy-ludlow-award

The Brent Dual Diagnosis project was shortlisted in the 2010 Andy Ludlow Homelessness Awards, run by London Councils. http://www.mungos.org/press_office/636_brent-dual-diagnosis-project-earns-st-mungo-s-an-award-nomination

For more about Great Chapel Street, see http://www.greatchapelst.org.uk/

In a 2010 snapshot survey of St Mungo's clients:

• 43% had a significant medical condition

• 55% required regular medication

• 25% had a disability

• 70% had a mental health issue (diagnosed and suspected)

• 64% had a substance use problem

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