RESUMO
A year-long, nurse-led intermediate care pilot project was undertaken at a 120-bed homeless hostel in south London to improve healthcare outcomes among the clients involved, and to reduce emergency department (ED) attendance, ambulance call outs and use of acute care services. By the end of the year, the number of ED and hospital admissions had dropped significantly. The project was recognised by the Department of Health in 2010 as an example of innovative practice in work with 'at-risk' groups, and was awarded the 2011 Nursing Standard Community Nursing Award. This article considers reasons for the success of the project and the lessons that can be learned from it.
Assuntos
Pessoas Mal Alojadas , Avaliação de Resultados em Cuidados de Saúde , Padrões de Prática em Enfermagem , Assistência Progressiva ao Paciente/organização & administração , Adulto , Doença Crônica/terapia , Serviço Hospitalar de Emergência/estatística & dados numéricos , Custos de Cuidados de Saúde , Humanos , Londres , Masculino , Projetos Piloto , Transtornos Relacionados ao Uso de Substâncias/terapiaRESUMO
Homelessness is on the rise in the UK and, over the past few years, there has been a significant increase in the number of emergency department (ED) attendances and admissions by homeless people. Those attending the ED will often have multiple unmet health, housing and social care needs. While it is not possible to meet all these needs in the ED, emergency nurses should be equipped with the knowledge and skills required to communicate with, refer and signpost patients who are homeless. Under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017, ED staff have a duty to refer homeless people, with their consent, to local authorities for assistance. This article details the barriers that homeless people may experience when accessing healthcare services and explains how these can be addressed. It also outlines the actions that emergency nurses can take to improve the care of homeless people in the ED at an individual and a systems level.