Homelessness: it makes you sick

As London's largest homeless agency St Mungo's supports and cares for vulnerable people who either have been or are at risk of sleeping rough. Each year we help more than 10,000 people and our hostels, care homes, emergency shelters and housing projects provide safe and supportive housing to 1400 people each night.

Many of our clients have multiple health problems such as alcohol and drug dependency and physical and mental health issues, which have often been left untreated, causing chronic illness and in many cases shorter life expectancy. On average one person dies each month in our hostels.

Our Health Report, St Mungo's research into interactions between clients and primary health services, highlights the need for better health care amongst the homeless in London. The case studies within the report show how homeless people are often treated as third class citizens and a nuisance by some healthcare professionals.

Homelessness It makes you sick Health Summary Report is a brief guide to the findings in the health report combined with the Health Strategy and underlines the key points and the changes that we believe are needed to provide better health and support services for homeless people. Field work for this project was carried out by independent peer researchers from Groundswell.

These findings lead us to produce a Health Strategy with the help of PHAST, public health specialists, outlining our vision of health service delivery which we believe is necessary to improve quality of life and wellbeing as a whole. With this in mind we will be developing a Training course for Healthcare workers, that gives a better understanding of the needs of homeless people while accessing health services.

Action Week

From 7-11 September, St Mungo's will be running an Action Week campaign to raise awareness of the health issues faced by homeless people by bringing their plight to the attention of the public and through our St Mungo's Action Week Campaign. The week kicks off with a fundraising walk across London's bridges on Sunday 7 September Bridgewalk map, followed by a health sector and media launch of our Health Strategy as well as the launch of several innovative health pilots and services. There will also be health focused fundraising and hostel events held throughout the week. We are urging you add your support to our campaign by visiting our campaign website: St Mungo's Action Week '08 and emailing your MP in the How you can help section.

The Action Week special edition of St Mungos Frontline supporter newsletter is jammed packed with news and stories about health and homelessness. It features some of the stories of homeless men and women and the work of our frontline staff, fundraisers and supporters.

Hostel workers journal is a real life account of the weekly problems of a client with chronic health problems, in a St Mungo's central London hostel.