29 June 2012
St Mungo's innovative Palliative Care Service has been shortlisted for a prestigious Andy Ludlow Homelessness Award.
Run in partnership with Marie Curie Cancer Care, the St Mungo's Palliative Care Service is the first of its kind in the UK to help address the obstacles homeless people face in getting appropriate, high quality end of life care.
The service involves close working with St Mungo's residents and staff, primary and secondary healthcare providers, specialist palliative care service providers and other relevant health and social care agencies. It supports staff and clients to come to terms with and prepare for death, to deal with the consequences of death whether planned or sudden, and to coordinate care with other service providers.
The project is one of six shortlisted for an Andy Ludlow Homelessness Award. These annual award celebrate innovation and good practice among organisations tackling homelessness in London, with final winners announced at a ceremony at The Speakers' House on 18 October.
Since the Palliative Care service began, it has succeeded in
Peter Kennedy, St Mungo's Palliative Care Services Coordinator, said: "We are delighted to have been nominated for this award. For many clients, staff members are often perceived as their main carers, particularly in the absence of family and other supportive networks. We believe the service has gone a long way to helping our clients and promoting good practice more widely but there is still a need for further dialogue about gaps in services and appropriate facilities and resources to provide dignified end of life care for people who are homeless."
Dr Louise Jones, Head of the Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Unit at University College London (UCL), said: "It is excellent to hear about the Andy Ludlow Homelessness Award nomination. Marie Curie continues to be actively engaged with St.Mungo's in enabling the delivery of palliative care for homeless people, and looks toward building on this important partnership through further research work. In particular, the Marie Curie research team at UCL is keen to work directly with some of the St Mungo's residents in the future".
London Councils Executive Member for Housing, Mayor Sir Steve Bullock, said: "All of the projects which entered this year's Andy Ludlow Awards are to be applauded for their work in helping homeless people in London.
"The six projects which have been shortlisted, stood out because of their innovative approach to tackling homelessness. We hope that other organisations which are involved in the sector will benefit from learning about these new approaches - and that their excellent work can be replicated across the capital, to help some of the most vulnerable people in our society."
Read St Mungos Palliative Care Service Factsheet (July 2012).
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Further information contact Gemma Hollingshead on gemma.hollingshead@mungos.org or 020 8762 5570
St Mungo's runs over 100 projects across London and the South, providing accommodation and much more for over 1,700 people every night of the year. From emergency support off the streets to semi-independent housing and move on guidance, employment opportunities, training and health support, the charity helps thousands of people to make permanent life changes every year. http://www.mungos.org/
The Andy Ludlow Homelessness Awards have been established as the foremost awards recognising innovative work to tackle homelessness in London. named in memory of Andy Ludlow, former director of Housing and Social Services in the London Borough of Haringey, who died at a tragically young age. The awards are sponsored by the London Housing Foundation, the 33 London councils and Shelter and run by London Councils. Inside Housing magazine is the media partner See http://www.andyludlowawards.org.uk/