More mental health teams to support rough sleepers
New funding of £3.2 million will create 14 additional mental health outreach teams to operate in locations with high rates of homelessness.
Combining the skills of doctors, mental health nurses and other clinicians, alongside specialist local authority staff, the new multi-disciplinary mental health teams will identify rough sleepers in need of help and support them in accessing expert mental health care via a GP. The teams will also coordinate treatment and support with other local organisations, including councils and charities.
The 14 new outreach teams will be based in local authority areas across England, including the London boroughs of Brent, Westminster and Camden, South Western counties, the Surrey and Berkshire commuter belt, the seaside town of Great Yarmouth, and the cities of Manchester and Sheffield. This takes the total number of areas with specialist mental health provision for rough sleepers to 37, which exceeds the target of 20 specified in the NHS Mental Health Implementation Plan, published in 2019 to accompany the NHS Long Term Plan.
Rise in rough sleeping
According to the government’s latest Rough Sleeping Snapshot, the number of people estimated to be sleeping rough in England on a single night in autumn 2022 was 3069, showing an increase for the first time in five years. Although the figure is 35% down on the peak figure recorded in 2017, it’s still 74% higher than 2010, when the snapshot reports were introduced.
While rough sleeping had increased in every region in England compared to the previous year, there were a number of hotspots where increases were particularly acute, with over half the increase accounted for by just 15 locations. Unsurprisingly, London was top of the list with a 34% increase. However, the South East of England and the West Midlands came a close joint second at 29%, followed by the North East at 27%.
Compared with the general population, homeless people are twice as likely to suffer from common mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety and panic disorder. As for cases of psychosis, they are 15 times more prevalent in homeless people. Research also shows a link between mental health and sleeping rough, with people being 50% more likely to have spent over a year sleeping rough if they’re also experiencing mental ill health.
A joined-up approach
The new specialist teams are part of co-ordinated, multi-agency efforts to improve access to mental health support for rough sleepers. This involves integrating care from specialist mental health professionals such as doctors, nurses and psychiatrists with existing outreach, accommodation, drug and alcohol, and physical healthcare services.
“While the NHS cannot solve homelessness on its own, we are trying to reach out to homeless people and working hard to ensure that those who need mental health support get it,” said Professor Tim Kendall, NHS England Clinical National Director for Mental Health. “To do that, we are making it as easy as possible to access services, designed and built around patients’ needs.”
