Improving the Health of the Homeless and How to Achieve It within the New NHS Architecture.

Paul Batchelor,James Kingsland

doi:10.3390/ijerph17114100

Abstract

The publication of the National Health Service (NHS) Long Term Plan sees the creation of Primary Care Networks as the most appropriate solution to help improve overall health and address health inequalities. A key segment of society that suffers from poor health is the homeless. While the potential for the group to benefit from the NHS reform policy programme in England exists, it requires stronger collaborative working between the health and social care sectors Not least the new arrangements provide opportunities to tackle existing disease as well as the determinants of future ill health. However, if the policy vision is to be achieved, relations between the two sectors must occur and cross sector boundaries be broken down.

Highlights

In January 2019, National Health Service (NHS) England published the NHS Long Term Plan [1]
A key focus of the work lies with ensuring the success of what are termed Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) and ‘new models of care’: the former addressing working relations between NHS organisations and local councils, the latter, termed Primary Care
Wright and Tomkins [7], in a review asking how the health needs of the homeless could be addressed, argued that while accessible and available primary health care is a pre-requisite for effective interventions, there is a requirement to overcome other barriers, not least the recognition that multi-agency working was necessary to enable homeless people to access the full range of health and social care services

Summary

Introduction

In January 2019, NHS England published the NHS Long Term Plan [1]. The document set out proposals that cover the 10-year period. Wright and Tomkins [7], in a review asking how the health needs of the homeless could be addressed, argued that while accessible and available primary health care is a pre-requisite for effective interventions, there is a requirement to overcome other barriers, not least the recognition that multi-agency working was necessary to enable homeless people to access the full range of health and social care services. This finding was supported more recently by Hwang and Burns [8].

What Are the Problems for the Homeless?

Addressing the Problem

Findings

Conclusions