A detailed report has been published this week by Healthwatch Hull outlining the findings and recommendations from an engagement initiative carried out with rough sleepers and those experiencing homelessness in Hull. The aim was to better understand their experiences of accessing ambulance services, identify any concerns, and help to drive improvements across health and social care partners.
Commissioned by Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust and funded by the Yorkshire Ambulance Service Charity, the six-month project saw Healthwatch Hull talking to rough sleepers and those experiencing homelessness across the city to gain a clear picture of any access issues they had when using services, including the 999 emergency service, NHS 111 urgent care service and the non-emergency Patient Transport Service.
The report reflects positive experiences of the various services and their staff, and also areas where issues were highlighted and recommendations made. The recommendations provided are wide-ranging and merit further work to identify how the ambulance service and health and social care partners can respond meaningfully, in a way that will make a difference for patients. The report contents and recommendations will not only be relevant to Hull, but across the wider health and care system in the region and nationally.
Lewis Etoria, Senior Community Engagement Manager with Yorkshire Ambulance Service, said: “Working closely with our communities is the best way of understanding how we can improve our services for the people who use them.
“The level and depth of this engagement with the rough sleeper community in Hull has provided both us and our partners with valuable information and insight which we will use to shape real improvements for their care when they need to access our urgent and emergency services.”
Carrie Duran of Healthwatch Hull said: “The project has highlighted some incredible work by the ambulance service and stakeholders in ensuring that individuals experiencing homelessness are treated with dignity and kindness and receive the necessary support. However, the report also sheds light on shortcomings within the wider health and care system, particularly how rigid service models and a lack of understanding of trauma negatively impact these individuals.
“Whilst the report focuses on the specific barriers faced by those experiencing homelessness, it also serves as a valuable opportunity for services and commissioners within the ICS to re-evaluate how they deliver services, to better meet the needs of inclusion health groups and other vulnerable populations. The report also demonstrates the value of collaboration, patience, and the development of trusted relationships. The breadth and depth of our engagement work proves that even groups considered hard to reach are not beyond the reach of dedicated and coordinated efforts.”
Gary Sainty, Head of Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises with the Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, was involved in this project and commented: “Our work alongside Yorkshire Ambulance Service and Healthwatch Hull has given us a much deeper understanding of how those experiencing homelessness and rough sleeping interact with the ambulance service and hospital emergency departments. While the engagement work has come to end, I hope NHS organisations and partners can take forward some of this learning and insight, not just to improve clinical outcomes, but to ensure people who are sleeping rough are always treated with dignity and compassion.”
The report – Voices of the street; Exploring homeless experiences of Yorkshire ambulance Service NHS Trust – can be accessed at
VOICE-OF-THE-STREET-REPORT-FOR-PUBLISH-1.pdf (healthwatchkingstonuponhull.co.uk)
This activity supports Yorkshire Ambulance Service’s community engagement strategy to work in partnership to better understand those communities likely to experience health inequalities and the greatest barriers to accessing services. It also underpins the work of the Yorkshire Ambulance Service Charity to reduce the impact of health inequalities on our communities.