NWL has the largest homeless population in London. This population faces fundamental inequalities in outcomes, experience, and access – with multiple, long term, under-treated health needs and do not always get the care they need from the health and care system.
People experiencing homelessness have six times more A&E presentations, are admitted to hospital four times more often, and stay three times as long as the general population.
In hospital, they are likely to be poorly identified, experience delays once medically fit for discharge, and are at high risk of discharge to the street, readmission and poor overall health outcomes.
We have received confirmation from the NWL ICB that a business case has been approved to fund a new specialist hospital Homeless Health team up until 31st March 2029.
The Homeless Health team works in close partnership with the wards to identify people experiencing homelessness whilst they are in hospital, build therapeutic relationships with them, assist the ward multidisciplinary team to maximise the benefit of these admissions, and then support these vulnerable patients during and after discharge – ensuring that they are fully linked in to all the health care and support services they need when the team finally discharges them.
The GP role works to improve the care for homeless patients in hospital, to drive up the quality of the care they receive during a hospital stay, and to improve their quality-of-life following discharge.
Working with the rest of the Homeless Health team, the GP role works to improve the care for homeless patients in hospital, to drive up the quality of the care they receive during a hospital stay, and to improve their quality-of-life following discharge. The key responsibilities of the role are to:
- To clinically lead, support and promote the specialist homelessness team in the hospital.
- To work collaboratively to improve health and social outcomes for people who are homeless.
- To promote and lead weekly multi -disciplinary team meetings for hospital, primary care and voluntary sector staff working with the most challenging patients.
- To offer clinical judgment/expertise on how best to address complex issues among this patient group, particularly with reference to the tri -morbidity of substance misuse, mental illness and physical health problems.
The successful post holder will have s ubstantial personal experience of working with people who are homeless and will have a demonstrable special interest in:
Working with people experiencing drug or alcohol dependence or/and domestic violence including substitute prescribing.
- Experience of working in or with the wider statutory and charitable homelessness sector.
Experience of mental illness particularly working with patients with complex psychological trauma/diagnosed with personality disorder
Sexual health.
At Imperial College Healthcare you can achieve extraordinary things with extraordinary people, working with leading clinicians pushing boundaries in patient care. Become part of a vibrant team living our values - expert, kind, collaborative and aspirational. You’ll get an experience like no other and will fast forward your career. Benefits include career development, flexible working and wellbeing, staff recognition scheme. Make use of optional benefits including Cycle to work, car lease schemes, season ticket loan or membership options for onsite leisure facilities.
We encourage staff to have the Covid vaccination to protect themselves, patients, other colleagues as well as the wider community. Please note it is an operational requirement to comply with infection prevention and control procedures within the Trust such as lateral flow testing, handwashing and the wearing of masks, according to the procedures in place at any time or location.
As part of our continued response to Covid19 we are still conducting the majority of our interviews virtually.
We are committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and will consider applications to work flexibly, part-time or job share. Please talk to us at interview.
Provide high quality care to patients under the Homeless Health Service
- To offer clinical judgment/expertise on how best to address complex issues among this patient group, particularly with reference to the tri -morbidity of substance misuse, mental illness, and physical health problems.
- To act as the clinical/professional interface between the Homeless Health Team and hospital consultants and other medical team members.
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- Research, teaching and training.
- To promote the education of hospital staff regarding issues related to homelessness and Inclusion Health.
- To support joint learning and development activities with the other NWL Homeless Health teams.
- To ensure collection of robust monitoring and performance data, and to participate in research activity in collaboration with other NWL Homeless Health teams.
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- Strategy and business planning
- To represent the Trust at appropriate clinical networks/other external clinical meetings.
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- Leadership and team working
- To clinically lead, support and promote the specialist Homelessness team in the hospital.
- To lead regular ward rounds in the hospital attending all homeless patients admitted.
- To promote and lead weekly multi -disciplinary team meetings for hospital, primary care and voluntary sector staff working with the most challenging patients.
- To foster and maintain staff commitment to the core ethos of compassionate care, and integrated patient-centred medicine.
