Ealing Hospital, along with its sister hospital Northwick Park in Harrow, has revealed it is treating up to 40 homeless patients each month as part of a long-running support programme addressing both health and housing issues faced by rough sleepers.
The hospitals, which are part of the London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH), see patients admitted with conditions such as skin ulcers, scabies, malnutrition and frostbite. Numbers typically rise during the colder months.
A dedicated homelessness team operates across both sites, comprising GPs, nurses and an occupational therapist who focus on physical health. Two housing officers work alongside them to support patients with accommodation, benefit claims and recovering key documentation such as birth certificates and passports.
Joe Laws, the trust’s housing link officer said: “People are often admitted with no ID, so it takes a bit of detective work to build up a picture of who they are. We have good links with community and voluntary groups like St Mungo’s and use a database called CHAIN which details homeless people’s interactions with these groups on the street.”
Ealing has the second largest homeless population in London, estimated at around 2,000. The borough has reported a 24% fall in homelessness over the past year, attributed in part to closer coordination between NHS services and local support agencies.
Discharged patients with ongoing health needs are visited in the community by nurses. Personal health budgets provided by the local integrated care board are used to fund essentials including toiletries, mobile phones and clothing.
Mr Laws, who was born in Ealing Hospital, added: “I’m a jack-of-all-trades really and always happy to help. I can also be found giving patients a haircut if they need one.”
The team is appealing for donations of clean clothing. Those wishing to contribute are asked to email: lnwh-tr.homelesspathway@nhs.net.
