Somerset homelessness health service receives national recognition at House of Lords

Colleagues from our homeless and rough sleeper nursing service have received further national recognition for their work supporting people experiencing homelessness after winning a prestigious award at a ceremony held at the House of Lords.

Karen George, clinical service lead for our homeless and rough sleeper outreach nursing service, attended the Professional Development Group (PDG) Awards Evening alongside Dr Laura Devlin, specialist inclusion health GP, and Andy Lloyd, health improvement manager at Somerset Council.

The team had been invited following the publication of a national case study showcasing Somerset's specialist outreach healthcare service for people experiencing homelessness and a presentation delivered at the National Homelessness Conference earlier this year.

The evening celebrated excellence and innovation across the public sector, with Somerset's homelessness health service named winner of the Public Sector Impact Award.

The award recognises the success of homelessness health in Somerset, which brings together our homeless and rough sleeper outreach nursing service and inclusion health GPs to provide healthcare directly to people experiencing homelessness, whether they are sleeping rough, living in hostels or staying in temporary accommodation.

The service was first established through partnership working between the council’s public health team, NHS Somerset, our trust, and voluntary sector organisations, with a shared ambition to address some of the most significant health inequalities experienced across the county.

It focuses on prevention, early intervention and treatment for both physical and mental health needs.

“It was a wonderful surprise to hear that we had won the Public Sector Impact Award,” says Karen. “While Laura, Andy and I were fortunate enough to collect the award, this recognition belongs to everyone who has helped build and develop the service over the past five years.

“So many colleagues and partner organisations have contributed their expertise, commitment and passion to improving health outcomes for people experiencing homelessness across Somerset. This award reflects their hard work and dedication.”

The recognition adds to an already impressive track record for the service. In 2023, homelessness health in Somerset won the Health Equalities category at the NHS Parliamentary Awards, and more recently the service was highlighted by the Local Government Association as a national example of best practice.

The Local Government Association case study praised Somerset's innovative approach to reframing homelessness as a health and wellbeing issue and highlighted the impact of a specialist outreach model that takes healthcare directly to people who might otherwise struggle to access support.

“At the heart of this service are the people we support every day,” continues Karen. “Many individuals experiencing homelessness face significant barriers to accessing healthcare and often have complex physical and mental health needs.

“Our teams work incredibly hard to meet people where they are, build trust and ensure they can access the care and support they need.

“We're proud that this approach is now being recognised nationally and helping to influence how services are developed elsewhere.”

Since its launch, the service has grown from a small pilot into a countywide multidisciplinary team working alongside partners across health, social care, the justice service, and the voluntary sector, amongst many others.

The approach has been recognised nationally for reducing health inequalities and improving access to healthcare for some of Somerset's most vulnerable residents.

For Karen, the latest award is an opportunity to celebrate the collective efforts of colleagues across Somerset.

She adds: “This recognition demonstrates what can be achieved when organisations and services work collaboratively together with a shared purpose.

“I'm incredibly proud of our team and grateful to all the partners who have helped make this service such a success.

“Most importantly, we're helping people access healthcare who may previously have been excluded from it, and that's something everyone involved should be proud of.”

A huge congratulations to all colleagues and partners involved in making the service a national success!