About Homelessness
Homelessness can be defined in different ways:
The combination of commonly occurring physical and mental health problems in this population alongside challenging social circumstances and a high probability of substance misuse makes this group of patients difficult to reach and help effectively. The disparity in health outcomes and health care costs between homeless people and the rest of the population are stark. The Department of Health, NHS and Parliament have set legal and professional duties to address this issue (NHS Constitution, 2013).
Some startling truths about homelessness and health include:
Below are links to the areas identified as educational needs in our initial survey:
- Rough/Street/Roofless Sleepers - often the stereotypical image of homelessness. Official counts suggest there are roughly 2,400 people in this situation each night (HM Government, 2014).
- Statutory Homeless - those legally defined as homeless after approaching the council. Official statistics show 112,070 households applied to be defined as 'homeless' in 2013/14 (HM Government, 2014).
- Hidden Homeless - those who find temporary solutions like staying with friends. These people might never approach the council and so are excluded from the data as a consequence. Research estimates, however that nearly 2/3 of all homelessness is 'hidden' (Reeve, 2011).
The combination of commonly occurring physical and mental health problems in this population alongside challenging social circumstances and a high probability of substance misuse makes this group of patients difficult to reach and help effectively. The disparity in health outcomes and health care costs between homeless people and the rest of the population are stark. The Department of Health, NHS and Parliament have set legal and professional duties to address this issue (NHS Constitution, 2013).
Some startling truths about homelessness and health include:
- The average age of death of a homeless person in England is between 43 and 47 years (Crisis Report, 2011)
- There will be around 2,400 people sleeping rough tonight in England (HM Government Statistics, 2014)
- There will be around 40,000 sleeping in hostels or refuges tonight in England (Homeless Link, 2013)
- 112,070 people approached their council as homeless in 2013/14 (HM Government Statistics, 2014)
- Homeless patients die much younger from preventable illnesses (Grenier, 1996)
- The NHS spends four times the amount of money per person on homeless patients compared to one with a fixed abode (Department of Health, 2010)
- The problem is worsening, not improving (HM Government, Statistics on Rough Sleeping, 2013)
- There is a legal and professional duty to reduce the disparity between the health of homeless and housed patients set by the NHS constitution 2013 and Health and Social Care Act 2012 (NHS Constitution 2013, Health & Social Care Act 2012)
Below are links to the areas identified as educational needs in our initial survey:
References
Crisis Homelessness Briefing 2014. 'About Homelessness'. 2014. http://www.crisis.org.uk/data/files/publications/Crisis%20Homelessness%20briefing.pdf
Crisis Report. 'Homelessness: A Silent Killer'. 2011. http://www.crisis.org.uk/data/files/publications/Homelessness%20-%20a%20silent%20killer.pdf
Department of Health - Office of the Chief Analyst. 'Healthcare for single homeless people'. 2010, http://www.qni.org.uk/docs/healthcare%20for%20single%20homeless%20people%20NHS.pdf
Grenier P. Still Dying for a Home. 1996 - http://www.crisis.org.uk/data/files/publications/still%20dying%20for%20a%20home.pdf
HM Government. Statistics on Homelessness. 2014 - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics
HM Government. Health & Social Care Act. 2012 - http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/7/contents/enacted
Homeless Link (2013) Survey of Needs and Provision - http://www.homeless.org.uk/sites/default/files/site-attachments/SNAP2013_Full_Report.pdf
NHS Constituion 2013 (http://www.nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/Rightsandpledges/NHSConstitution/Pages/Overview.aspx); Health & Social Care Act 2012 (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/138257/A1.-Factsheet-Overview-240412.pdf).
Reeve K. The hidden Truth About Homelessness. 2011 - http://www.crisis.org.uk/data/files/publications/HiddenTruthAboutHomelessness_web.pdf
Crisis Homelessness Briefing 2014. 'About Homelessness'. 2014. http://www.crisis.org.uk/data/files/publications/Crisis%20Homelessness%20briefing.pdf
Crisis Report. 'Homelessness: A Silent Killer'. 2011. http://www.crisis.org.uk/data/files/publications/Homelessness%20-%20a%20silent%20killer.pdf
Department of Health - Office of the Chief Analyst. 'Healthcare for single homeless people'. 2010, http://www.qni.org.uk/docs/healthcare%20for%20single%20homeless%20people%20NHS.pdf
Grenier P. Still Dying for a Home. 1996 - http://www.crisis.org.uk/data/files/publications/still%20dying%20for%20a%20home.pdf
HM Government. Statistics on Homelessness. 2014 - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/homelessness-statistics
HM Government. Health & Social Care Act. 2012 - http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/7/contents/enacted
Homeless Link (2013) Survey of Needs and Provision - http://www.homeless.org.uk/sites/default/files/site-attachments/SNAP2013_Full_Report.pdf
NHS Constituion 2013 (http://www.nhs.uk/choiceintheNHS/Rightsandpledges/NHSConstitution/Pages/Overview.aspx); Health & Social Care Act 2012 (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/138257/A1.-Factsheet-Overview-240412.pdf).
Reeve K. The hidden Truth About Homelessness. 2011 - http://www.crisis.org.uk/data/files/publications/HiddenTruthAboutHomelessness_web.pdf