Aid for asylum seekers and the homeless

A DEDICATED team working with homeless people and asylum seekers won the People’s Choice Award.

The special award is voted on by the public and recognises the work of NHS Scotland and socialcare staff and carers in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Homeless Health & Asylum Service help some of the most vulnerable patients with complex needs in Glasgow, providing vital health and socialcare assessment and treatment.

At the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the service, which is part of Glasgow’s Health and Social Care Partnership, had to completely change the way it delivered for its clients.

Because of the level of risk and complexity of their patient group, the team needed to increase face-to-face contact and take their services to a rising number of homeless and asylum seekers.

The team set up a COVID-19 vaccination programme, going to 50 accommodation sites, resulting in more than 550 first-dose v a ccin a tions a n d 370 secon d - d ose vaccinations, with more than 70 per cent of their patients double jabbed.

They also set up a COVID-19 vaccination clinic for all new asylum seekers on arrival in Glasgow, as well as a female-only city centre clinic for vulnerable women.

The team worked tirelessly to provide the best possible patient care, helping to improve and save lives.

An outreach service for young people was set up and new clinics were set up to offer wound care and addiction treatment, while flu jabs and Naloxone – a medicine that reverses an opioid overdose – were delivered alongsideCOVID-19 vaccines.

Nurse team leader Stewart Curtis said: “We had a good response to the new way of delivering services during the pandemic – so much so that it’s made us rethink the way we do things. We have learned a lot about how to support the homeless and asylum seekers.

“We provide a one-stop shop, offering GP, addiction and mental health services. We also gave our patients phones so they can call us when they need help and so we can follow up with them.”

The Scottish Government is committed to ending homelessness. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 its priority has been to keep people safe by working with partners, including local authorities and health and social care partnerships, to ensure people are moved as quickly as possible from temporary accommodation into a settled home.

D uring the p a n d emic, Gl a sgow homeless people in hotels while dealing with ongoing pressure in finding homes for asylum seekers.

Presenting the award, Professor Jason Leitch, National Clinical Director and chair of the judging panel said: “This is a fantastic service. This team has reached into the community to deliver vaccines while the rest of us have been locked in our homes.

“This award means even more because crucially, it was voted by the public.”