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Sikh-Briton Physician Leads Award-Winning Hospital Homeless Project:
Dr Muninder Singh Lotay

TRIDENT REACH

 

 

 




A trail-blazing project to support homeless people leaving Midland (United Kingdom) hospitals has scooped a prestigious award for its ground-breaking work to save lives while cutting health service costs.

The pioneering Homeless Patient Pathway (HPP) at Birmingham City Hospital, under the leadership of Dr. Muninder Singh Lotay, won the ‘Caring for Vulnerable Groups’ category of the GP Enterprise Awards 2014, presented by the Royal College of General Practitioners.

Trident Reach the People Charity set up the HPP in partnership with hospital trusts across Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull.

According to a new report into the impact of the initiative, it has saved the economy more than half a million pounds – a ‘social value’ return of £8.80 per £1 invested.

The pilot scheme, launched last November with a Department of Health grant, helped 131 homeless people, aged from 18 to 74, in its first three months alone. It reduced the average length of stay in hospital by 3.2 days per person. And, it ensures that patients, once discharged, have somewhere to live and a full package of health and social care support after they leave hospital.

The project aims to prevent the ‘revolving door’ scenario of homeless people being treated, discharged and then returning to hospital with worsening health problems because they have nowhere to go and no proper support.

A recent ‘social value’ report into the project concludes that it has saved the public purse £541,483 – through reduced pressure on health services, the justice system and welfare benefits, plus the increased contribution to the local community through homeless people finding employment and voluntary work.

The report states that 80% of people helped have not been re-admitted to hospital, 10% have since gained employment and 10% are doing voluntary work. It says individuals helped by the project were keen to improve their skills to enable them to find work

General Practitioner Dr Muninder Singh, Clinical Lead for the HPP, explains that people who become homeless often have complex and multiple needs such as mental ill health, alcohol dependency and drug addiction, as well as an increased risk of TB, hepatitis and HIV. These may be in addition to the original condition that led to their hospital admission, so an understanding of the inter-relationship of these problems is vital to successful care.

He says: “Hospital staff have always found the question of what we can do for homeless patients incredibly frustrating. It is soul-destroying to see the same people keep coming in who are suffering because of homelessness, and not know what we can do to help them.

“This project is about providing joined-up care but also about educating people and changing attitudes to homelessness. You cannot just write people off – they don’t just wake up one morning and decide to sleep on the streets, drink or take drugs.

“The HPP’s impact has been extraordinary – we have provided a voice and advocacy for patients who are homeless. It is a really important service and I am proud of what our team has achieved so far.”

In addition to Dr Muninder Singh, the team of staff includes two nurses and a ‘Hospital Navigator’ (Suwen James) who leads on all referrals. The lead nurse is Helen Taylor. They work together to assess patients, establish their needs and deliver a package of housing, health care and support which continues into the community after the person has left hospital.

National studies into homelessness have described the problem as a ‘silent killer’, with homeless people dying at an average age of 47 compared to 77 for the general population.

Estimates indicate that homeless people attend A&E departments up to six times more often than people with a home and stay in hospital three times as long. Currently, 70% are discharged back onto the street without their housing or care needs being properly addressed.

The Department of Health estimates homeless people use four times as many acute health services and eight times as many inpatient health services as the general population, costing the public purse around £85.6 million a year.



[Courtesy: Reach The Charity. Edited for sikhchic.com]
September 4, 2014
 

Conversation about this article

1: Tarsem Singh Ubhi (Newport Pagnell, United Kingdom), September 06, 2014, 6:47 AM.

Dr Muninder Singh ji: Your leadership in fulfilling important but often ignored needs of society deserves a huge applause. You make us all feel proud.

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Dr Muninder Singh Lotay "









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