Case studies

New houses and employment will soon be on the way for Oswestry thanks to local efforts to secure funding from the Government through the One Public Estate (OPE) programme and the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF).

The One Public Estate (OPE) programme is driving the NHS Trust, Fire and Police, and Herefordshire Council to maximise their public land potential and work together to deliver economic growth and new homes across Hereford.

A specialist nursing service for rough sleepers works closely with Bolton Council and local voluntary sector services. It provides support on the streets as well as into hostels and from its town centre base.

Social enterprise Bevan Healthcare provides outreach heath support to rough sleepers from a mobile unit. Together, with its primary care centre and work with hospitals, it is providing vital help to vulnerable people.

The council and its partners in the borough have designed a range of dedicated health services to homeless people, covering everything from GP care and psychological support to dietary advice.

A new centre has been established in Leicester to help those on the streets struggling with substance misuse. Around 150 people are using the facilities each month with many being encouraged into treatment as part of a multi-agency approach.

Support is provided to homeless people while they are in hospital. It ensures when they are ready to be discharged they will not return to the streets. Over the past two years no-one has been released without accommodation to go into.

A dedicated GP surgery for vulnerable groups, including homeless people, has been set up in Grimsby. The practice provides everything from general health care to food parcels and advice on housing and benefits.

A voluntary sector group which provides services for rough sleepers in Preston has set up a “Housing First” approach, giving clients a guarantee of accommodation which then allows them to address health and social issues they have.

A nurse prescriber from the drug and alcohol service has started doing outreach work with the homeless support team. The work has focused on one particular town centre in the district after concerns were raised about a core group of rough sleepers who were not engaged with treatment.