Browse this playlist of podcast episodes exploring homelessness and health, produced by the Healthy London Partnership Homeless Health programme team.

Find out about our work and the latest partner resources at: https://www.healthylondon.org/our-work/homeless-health/

If you are concerned about a person seen sleeping rough, contact StreetLink on http://streetlink.org.uk, their app, or by calling: 0300 500 0914.

Honest conversations about homeless health

The Homeless Health podcast series returns to help debunk some myths about homelessness and homeless health through minimal jargon and honest conversations. 

This series is open to all: for health and care workers who don’t always work with people experiencing homelessness, individuals and teams providing homelessness support, and for anyone else out there who wants to learn a bit more about homeless health.

In this episode, we speak to Liza Collins, Deputy Director of Homeless Health at Healthy London Partnership and Dr Al Story, Clinical Lead at UCL Find & Treat service, to reflect on London’s homeless health response to the pandemic over the past 15 months and think about where work is still needed to challenge assumptions about homelessness and the health complexities of people experiencing homelessness.

Resources:
Homeless health training material for GP reception staff: https://www.healthylondon.org/resource/homeless-health-elearning/ 

*Almost one in five LGBT people have experienced homelessness at some point in their lives 
Source: Stonewall LGBT in Britain: Home & Communities report 2018

Honest conversations about homeless health - episode 1

Welcome back to episode 2 of the Honest Conversations about Homeless Health podcast series.

In this episode Dr Binta Sultan from the UCLH Find&Treat team joins HLP’s Homeless Health Deputy Director, Liza Collins, and Communications Officer, Elisha Jadav, to share her insights on inclusion health and outreach work with clients who are experiencing homelessness. 

We also talk about labelling and the effects of language such as ‘rough sleepers’ or ‘homeless people’, as well as the ways that people – whether they work in healthcare or not – can help to support people experiencing homelessness day to day.

Resources:
https://www.streetlink.org.uk/
https://www.healthylondon.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Find-and-Treat-Testing-final-Updated-09082021.pdf

Honest conversations about homeless health - episode 2 - homelessness and labelling

In this episode Dr Durga Sivasathiaseelan from Doctors of the World joins Liza Collins and Elisha Jadav from the HLP Homeless Health team to reflect on the health needs of asylum-seeker and migrant populations in the UK and how they can be supported through healthcare.

You can find resources mentioned in this episode and links to further reading below.

Definitions:
https://refugeecouncil.org.uk/information/refugee-asylum-facts/the-truth-about-asylum/

Doctors of the World:
https://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk/who-we-are/refugees-and-migrants/ 
https://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk/what-we-stand-for/supporting-medics/safe-surgeries-initiative/
https://www.doctorsoftheworld.org.uk/patient-clinic/

HLP My Right to Healthcare cards:
https://www.healthylondon.org/resource/my-right-to-access-healthcare-cards/

Guidance on health entitlements:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-entitlements-migrant-health-guide 
https://www.nrpfnetwork.org.uk/information-and-resources/rights-and-entitlements/nhs-treatment/overview#guide-sections

Honest conversations about homeless health - episode 3 - asylum-seeker and migrant health

In this episode, we discuss whether homelessness is a health or housing crisis and in turn, where does the responsibility for preventing homelessness lie? Joining the conversation are Sarah Hough – Research Project Worker from homelessness support organisation Groundswell, Gill Leng – Health and Homeless Advisor from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and Liza Collins – Homeless Health Deputy Programme Director at the Healthy London Partnership.

Resources:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homelessness-applying-all-our-health/homelessness-applying-all-our-health 
https://groundswell.org.uk
https://groundswell.org.uk/?team=sarah-hough#
https://www.crisis.org.uk/ending-homelessness/about-homelessness/  
https://www.healthylondon.org/our-work/homeless-health/duty-to-refer/

Honest conversations about homeless health - episode 5 - homelessness, health and housing

In this short homeless health episode, JJ Nadicksbernd, Programme Manager from HLP’s Homeless Health Out of Hospital Project and Dr Caroline Shulman, Co-Clinical Lead in the Homeless Health Programme, talk about the health impacts of homelessness and why an enhanced response is so needed. They also highlight what a rapid survey with hospital discharge teams tells us about the current health needs of this population in London. Find the report at: https://www.healthylondon.org/resource/discharge-of-homeless-hospital-patients/

Honest conversations about homeless health - episode 4 - what a rapid survey tells us

This episode discusses hospital discharge, housing and the challenges around supporting people experiencing or are at risk of homelessness.  

JJ Nadicksbernd, Programme Manager for Healthy London Partnership’s Homeless Health out-of-hospital workstream is joined by housing consultant Tim Grey and care navigator David Woodley from Groundswell homeless health charity to talk through the gaps and barriers but it also highlights some examples of facilitators and when things have gone well.

Resources:
Groundswell: https://groundswell.org.uk/
Find out more about the London hospital discharge housing options directory here: https://www.healthylondon.org/resource/discharge-of-homeless-hospital-patients/

Homeless Health episode 6 - out-of-hospital discharge and London housing options directory

In a recent snapshot audit, we found that there is a lack of appropriate accommodation and support options, including intermediate care, for people experiencing homelessness in hospital. In this episode, our guests discuss the current landscape for inpatients who are homeless, the lack of available data for public health policy decisions, and the complex needs among this cohort of people in London. Hear from David Woodley, a Care Navigator with Groundswell; Emma De Zoete, a Public Health Specialist with the Greater London Authority; and audit co-author Dr Caroline Shulman, Co-Clinical Lead with the Healthy London Partnership. 
 
If you would like to read more about the audit, visit the Healthy London Partnership website here: https://www.healthylondon.org/news/health-housing-and-social-care-integration-for-people-experiencing-homelessness-needs-identified-in-an-inpatient-audit/

Homeless health episode 7 - the need for intermediate care according to a recent inpatient audit

The Covid-19 health response for London rough sleepers was quick, decisive and to date has been highly effective, keeping infection rates around 5%, compared to 50-60% seen in comparable international cities. HLP was asked to lead the health efforts on behalf of the NHS, but the response has required a supreme effort from charity/voluntary partners, the GLA and local authorities as well as traditional health providers. Jemma Gilbert, London’s Homeless Health Operations Director and HLP Prevention Director, gives the detail on what has been a true partnership effort.

London's homeless health response to Covid-19

The world-leading ‘Everbody In’ Covid-19 response saw some 5,000 housed during Covid-19. To maximise impact, UCLH developed health needs assessments were developed to identify and treat unmet needs and inform local housing, health and social care partners around needs moving forward. As this work moves from centralised to local provision in the capital, Dr Binta Sultan – a key figure from the UCLH team – reflects on challenges, learnings and how local colleagues can grasp a truly once in a lifetime opportunity to improve the lives of those experiencing homelessness and local communities. Want to know more from Binta and others? Join us at HLP’s ‘next steps’ webinar, 12-1pm, 6 August here: https://bit.ly/39rkD1s

Homeless health: providing individual health needs assessments during Covid-19

The London Health Podcast looks to tackle specific issues affecting health and care, so that we can improve the health of everyone in London.

Honest conversations about homeless health

Transformation Partners in Health and Care