For those who do not know, I am the co-Chair of a group in Parliament dedicated to tackling homelessness. This is an issue I care deeply about, and I have slept rough in Colchester over five times and once in London to raise awareness of this issue and funds for local charities. It is also one of the issues that I have spoken most about in Parliament since my election in 2015.
It has always been clear to me that the NHS has a role to play in tackling homelessness. While some believe that drug addiction or mental health issues can lead to homelessness, I have found that it is just as likely to be the other way around. Homelessness can easily lead to mental health issues or drug addiction. Homelessness can trap good people inside a vicious circle, and it carries horrific side effects.
Fortunately, the government has recently approved the largest funding settlement in the history of the NHS. On top of the existing NHS budget, an additional £20.5 billion in real terms will be added every year for the next five years. No Labour or Conservative government in history has ever offered such a staggering amount – it is far more than Jeremy Corbyn offered in the 2017 election.
To ensure that this vast amount of money is spent wisely, the NHS Long Term Plan has been developed over the last six months. It was led by clinicians, medical experts, and patients, with its call for evidence yielding 2,500 responses from healthcare groups that represent more than 3.5 million people. The plan was unveiled on 7 January 2019.
I am pleased to announce that in addition to £35 million being awarded to transform Colchester Hospital, an additional £30 million has been confirmed for specialist homelessness support. The Long Term Plan specifically commits to providing “better access to specialist homelessness NHS mental health support, integrated with existing outreach services”, in a targeted approach to help care for those who are the most vulnerable in our community.
This is an important moment. Mainstream mental health services are often ill equipped to deal with the complex needs of people sleeping rough, with many experiencing stigma and a refusal of support. Access to mainstream services is also challenging – how can someone with no phone, home address, or email account actually book an appointment?
Specialist services offer a tried and tested model of improving outcomes, with specially trained members of staff working flexibly with homeless people wherever they are – whether on the streets or in emergency accommodation.I am pleased that the NHS has recognised the value of these services, and will use the money provided by the Government to fund them.
Tackling homelessness should be everyone’s priority – and that includes the NHS. With the average age of death for rough sleepers at just 44, it is clear that action is needed. The commitments in the Long Term Plan offer a clear recognition of this.
As Co-Chair of the Ending Homelessness group in Parliament, and as your MP for Colchester, I have worked with MPs from all parties to help tackle homelessness. It is only through concerted cross-government and cross-sector action that we can end the scandal of people living on the streets, and I welcome this important step forward.
Published in The Daily Gazette - 6th February 2019