A local homelessness charity SPEAR is working with NHS to deliver health initiatives for people experiencing homelessness during the winter months.

The charity is receiving funding from the South West London Integrated Care System (SWL ICS) to deliver Health and Wellbeing Days drop-in days for people experiencing homelessness in Richmond, Wandsworth, and Merton.

People experiencing homelessness are more likely to have poorer physical and mental health than the general population.

Health needs are often chronic, multiple and complex in nature, meaning they are more likely to die young, with an average age of death of 47 years old for men and 43 for women.

This compares to 79.5 for men and 83.1 for women in the general population. (Care Quality Commission, 2022)

The aim of the initiative is to bring health providers and people experiencing homelessness together in order to help improve people's access and engagement with healthcare services over the Winter months.

Winter is a particularly challenging time for people sleeping rough and accessing healthcare is fraught with barriers such as having no address to receive letters and no phone credit to make appointment.

Working in partnership with the NHS and other healthcare agencies, SPEAR held six Health and Wellbeing days where people could access a range of services including seasonal vaccinations, advice on mental health, tests for diabetes heart disease as well as hot food and a free haircut.

In Richmond, 77% of attendees surveyed said they now know more about health services as a result of attending a health day while in Wandsworth and Merton, 74% of those surveyed said that they felt more confident about how to access a GP, dentist or therapeutic support.

A SPEAR Health Link Worker said that holding these days is so important: "People's health problems don't always get addressed quickly enough before they develop into something that is complicated. Some people don't feel able to access services for a whole number of reasons."

A Health Agency Worker at a Health and Wellbeing Day also said: "I think what you are doing is fantastic and you have the right mix of agencies. I would say we need more of this, on a more regular basis, as there is a great need."

There are many barriers preventing people from accessing healthcare, these can include having no money to travel to appointments, a lack of trust with institutions, not having an address for appointment letters and many more. The data and findings from this initiative is essential if key policy makers are to make the changes needed to ensure equal access to health services.

SPEAR is a local homelessness charity in South West London, supporting adults and young people to rebuild their lives away from the streets.

They operated across the London boroughs of Richmond, Kingston, Sutton, Wandsworth, and Merton, building communities in which everyone has a place to call home.