Health services ‘are failing homeless’

Homeless people are being left “largely unserved” by health
services, according to a report from the charity Crisis.

Stigma and discrimination are acting as “barriers to effective
service use and delivery” for homeless people with multiple health
needs, including severe psychiatric conditions, substance abuse
issues and learning difficulties, the report adds.

During the research, service providers identified a range of
obstacles which prevented homeless people with multiple health
needs from using health, social care and housing support.

The availability of services was a continuing problem, with only a
few examples of health service providers, including GPs, addressing
the issue successfully.

The report also finds that homeless people with multiple health
needs require more basic education about harm reduction, health and
illness to allow them to take responsibility for themselves.

– Lost Voices: The Invisibility of Homeless People with
Multiple Needs
from www.crisis.org.uk

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