A detailed report has been published by Healthwatch Hull outlining the findings and recommendations from an engagement initiative carried out with rough sleepers and those experiencing homelessness in Hull.
The aim was to better understand their experiences of accessing ambulance services, identify any concerns, and help to drive improvements across health and social care partners.
Commissioned by Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust and funded by the Yorkshire Ambulance Service Charity, the six-month project saw Healthwatch Hull talking to rough sleepers and those experiencing homelessness across the city to gain a clear picture of any access issues they had when using services, including the 999 emergency service, NHS 111 urgent care service and the non-emergency Patient Transport Service.
The report reflects positive experiences of the various services and their staff, and also areas where issues were highlighted and recommendations made.
The recommendations provided are wide-ranging and merit further work to identify how the ambulance service and health and social care partners can respond meaningfully, in a way that will make a difference for patients. The report contents and recommendations will not only be relevant to Hull, but across the wider health and care system in the region and nationally.
Gary Sainty, Head of Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises with the Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership who was involved in this project said: “Our work alongside Yorkshire Ambulance Service and Healthwatch Hull has given us a much deeper understanding of how those experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping interact with the ambulance service and hospital emergency departments.
“While the engagement work has come to end, I hope NHS organisations and partners can take forward some of this learning and insight, not just to improve clinical outcomes, but to ensure people who are sleeping rough are always treated with dignity and compassion.”
Click or tap here to read the full media release.
Click or tap here to read the full report.
Further information was presented at July’s ICB Board.