Homeless to get better health care

NHS
Scotland is to prioritise the health of homeless people, following
new guidance acknowledging the often extreme, and untreated, health
problems that many homeless people experience.

Under
the guidance, which was launched by health minister Susan Deacon,
social justice minister Jackie Baillie and Sue Irving, the Scottish
executive’s health and homelessness coordinator, each NHS board
will be required to produce a health and homelessness action
plan.

The plan
must be completed by February and implemented by April 2002 as an
integral part of the local health plans.