Health Event for Homeless People

07/02/2008

Homeless people in Gloucester are being given the opportunity to talk about their experiences of health services while homeless at an event being held today at the Vaughan Centre.

The event is part of the Homeless Health Initiative, a new three-year project aimed at improving the health services that homeless people receive.

The event will try to help better understand the real health needs of homeless people and enable the Homeless Health Initiative to make genuine improvements to services through their woke with nurses and lobbying.

David Dungworth, General Manager for Gloucester at the PCT, said: “Homeless people can sometimes be a group that doesn’t always feel that they can access the health services available to them.

“The PCT works with the Vaughan Centre and community services in Gloucester to provide a place to receive health advice and guidance and to refer people to particular services. We hope this event will provide an opportunity to learn about the services available to homeless people as well as for them to highlight their experiences.”

A health clinic operates at the Vaughan Centre three times a week. It offers support and advice to people who are without a GP in order to help them protect their health while homeless and make positive choices in their own health care.

Further Information

The Vaughan Centre, based in Southgate Street, Gloucester, is a One Stop Shop for homeless and vulnerably housed people. It offers a multi-agency approach to homelessness and other associated issues.

The Homeless Health Initiative is a new three-year project aimed at improving the health services that homeless people receive. The Homeless Health Initiative is a joint project between the Big Lottery Fund and the Queen’s Nursing Institute. It is carrying out an active outreach campaign to reach out to community nurses working in the field to offer a free support services to enable them to better meet the needs of homeless people. It is also carrying out the first ever comprehensive mapping exercise of the extent of homeless health care services and the needs of nurses working within them.