People experiencing homelessness face significant health difficulties and inequalities with poorer outcomes than the general population; life expectancy of a male experiencing homelessness is 47 years whilst female life expectancy is lower at 43 years.
To address these shocking figures Hounslow Public Health is focusing on ways to address Homelessness health inequalities as part of the CORE20 plus 5 priorities.
For the first time in Hounslow, teams are going out to speak directly with the homeless to better understand if current health services are meeting their needs, and learn what services they are currently accessing.
This information is being gathered via a survey during July 2024 and will be conducted by various teams across Hounslow from Hospital link workers based in Chelsea and Westminster University Hospital, Outreach teams etc.
Alongside the homeless outreach surveys the project is bringing GP’s, hospitals, health support services, housing, and rough sleeping teams together to better understand the local landscape to help further inform the project.
The aims of this project are:
• Understand the health needs of local people who are experiencing homelessness
• Collate data on health needs via a Homeless Health Need audit tool, led by homeless service providers
• Understand where services are working for people and areas for change and development.
• Undertake a mapping exercise of services and produce a services document accessible for both professionals and public.
Richard Reeves, Public Health, Hounslow Council, said:
“Homelessness is a health issue and not just a housing issue, so there is need to ensure that support is offered is one clear and concise response.
“Dependant on the outcomes of the survey, this could also lead to other areas of focus to address the health needs and ease pressures on services, such as being able to decrease the level of A&E attendances and hospital admissions by tackling the health needs with a proactive rather than reactive response.”
The project hopes the results will lead towards identifying service improvements, improved partnership collaboration and potentially new interventions.