South West London hospital to help homeless end ‘cycle of re-admission’

A South London hospital is helping people off the streets this winter by ending the cycle of re-admission.

St George’s Hospital in Tooting has set up a specialist team to help resolve homeless people’s other issues as well as treating injuries, in the hope that they won’t have to return to hospital. 

Emergency doctor Laura Douglas-Beveridge helped set up the scheme and pull the team together.

She said: “Working in any Emergency Department, you regularly see and treat homeless patients with complex needs who would go back onto the streets and it’s a source of frustration that nothing more could be done, until now, to properly address this.

“Helping to set up this new team has been the highlight of my medical career so far and it’s been great to work with so many colleagues who share a passion for improving health inequality.”

The new team aims to provide support to around 400 homeless people each year.

Currently, patients who are homeless are more than twice as likely to be readmitted to hospital in an emergency than patients with housing.

At a special event to mark the launch of the service, Lord John Bird, the founder of The Big Issue, welcomed the introduction of the team. 

Lord Bird said: “The cause of homelessness is complex but knowing that specialist staff at St George’s are stepping in to help this winter is fantastic.

“Their passion is moving, and I’m sure the support they’ll provide will make a real difference to some of London’s homeless people.”

 St George’s has worked closely with homeless charity Pathway to set up a team made up of a GP, specialist nurse, care navigator and two housing advisors.

 They will start seeing their first patients from November 29.

Homeless people often suffer from multiple health issues.

According to government data, the average death for women experiencing homelessness is 43 years old. For men it’s 46 years old.

Chief Medical Officer at St George’s Dr Richard Jennings said: “It’s been a tough year in the Emergency Department – and across the hospital – for all the doctors, nurses and everyone working behind the scenes and I am incredibly proud that they still go above and beyond to care for patients.

“I find it inspiring that my colleagues, despite all the pressures they work under, have created this new service to help homeless people, who are some of the most vulnerable people in our society.”

South West London Clinical Commissioning Group successfully secured funding from the Department of Health and Social Care for this project.

It will initially be for a 12-month period costing around £360,000.

Pictured top: The new homelessness team at St George’s.