This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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New health centre for Glasgow's homeless
05/04/2004
Homeless people in Glasgow will now have access to a full range of health and social care services with the opening of the city's Hunter Street Homeless Health and Social Care Centre.
The centre brings together health and social care staff under one roof, including a dedicated GP surgery, mental health and nutrition services, all specifically meet the needs of homeless service users.
Opening the centre, Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm said:
"Homeless people suffer from significantly poorer health than the rest of the population. They die younger, have more mental health problems, are often neglected and misuse drugs.
"Health and Homelessness Guidance was issued in 2001, requiring all NHS Boards to submit Health and Homelessness Action Plans to address the health needs of homeless people.
"Glasgow is one of those making great strides in this field, not least by the setting up of this centre. We are very pleased to support NHS Greater Glasgow with #12 million of funding for a range of innovative health services for homeless people.
"I am delighted to be able to open the Hunter Street Homeless Health and Social Care Centre centre today. Covering a wide range of services and staffed by a large number of health and social care professionals, I know it will help address the needs of Glasgow's homeless people."
The Scottish Executive's Health and Homelessness Co-ordinator Sue Irving
added:
"This new development is at the core of the programme to close the large and outdated hostels in Glasgow.
"It will ensure that those who find it most difficult to have their health needs met can access high quality care, which is one more step towards successful resettlement in the community."
Director of Planning and Community Care at NHS Greater Glasgow, Catriona Renfrew said:
"The centre will not only provide a modern and well-equipped facility designed to meet the needs of homeless people, it will also bring health and social work staff from across the city together in a single location to help plan and develop future services."
The Health and Social Care Centre for homeless people is based at 55
Hunter Street. It is staffed by 62 health and social work professionals and offers the following services:
- Nurse treatment clinics;
- Methadone clinics;
- Psychiatry, physiotherapy and dietic assessment;
- Podiatry sessions;
- Mental health services;
- Resettlement assessments;
- Child immunisation; and
- Chronic disease management.
The centre is expected to have an overall caseload of 460 individuals with over 160 people attending the Centre on a weekly basis. It also provides regular outreach services at clinics in homeless hostels and voluntary organisations across the city.
The Centre also works closely with the Homeless Addiction Team, the Homeless Families Service and the Assessment and Diversion Team, which provides support to people who are homeless for the first time.
The Glasgow Homelessness Partnership was established in August 2001. The
Partnership, which is made up of social work, the NHS and voluntary organisations, is responsible for planning and developing services for homeless people. A key objective is to oversee a major initiative to close the city's remaining homeless hostels and transfer residents into a range of alternative accommodation which better suits their needs.