Extra support for patients experiencing homelessness after charity grant
Extra support for patients experiencing homelessness after charity grant
06 February 2024
A £5,000 grant from the charity has enabled staff at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust to provide help for patients who are unhoused or at risk of homelessness.
The project, which ran for a year from July 2022, meant our A&E departments could purchase a supply of high-quality warm winter clothing and footwear to give to patients when they leave hospital, reducing the risk of hypothermia during the coldest time of the year.
Emergency cash funds also enabled staff to purchase small items that could make a big difference such as food and sanitary products for those who may have fallen on hard times, as well as copies of birth certificates to help them move into temporary housing.
"It has had a very positive effect on my wellbeing and I now feel more able to face the challenges in the next stage of my life."
A former patient at St Mary's Hospital
The project has proved so successful that the Trust has now secured NHS funding to continue providing support across all five of its hospitals for another three years.
A previous grant from the charity also boosted the Trust’s Homeless Health Team, funding the roles of a team lead, a nurse, and a housing coordinator.
“At a stressful time in my life, when my physical and mental health was at an all-time low, a member of staff offered me not only empathy and compassion, but also helped me secure temporary accommodation,” one patient told us. “Their assistance and genuine concern for my welfare has had a very positive effect on my wellbeing and I now feel more able to face the challenges in the next stage of my life.”
The borough of Westminster, home to St Mary's Hospital, is by far the most affected area of London, with over 2,000 rough sleepers.
“Having the emergency cash fund is only a little thing but it has such a big impact,” said Liz Wordsworth, Integrated Discharge Hub Lead at St Mary’s Hospital. “We were able to give a mobile phone to everyone we discharged who didn't have one, which meant they could keep in touch with their doctor.”
“We’ve also put together a cupboard full of clothes, shoes, and sanitary products. People will come in to hospital and they’ve not had a chance to shower. Their clothes are often filthy and ripped and they leave us with a nice new outfit on. It’s really helpful and gives people a bit of self-esteem.
“Any of us could end up homeless - you lose your job, you're sick, your family breaks up - all sorts of things can cause you to find yourself on the street. It's more common than you think.”
