Trust HQ
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Brockworth
Gloucester
GL3 4AW
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E-mail: freedomofinformation@ghc.nhs.uk
Website: www.ghc.nhs.uk
Freedom of Information Request – Ref: FOI 076-2122
Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.
1. The number of nurses or support workers who support patients regarding their housing while
they are inpatient in a mental health unit. These could be housing officers, housing support
workers, special housing nurses, or similar professions that are specialised in housing support.
We do have a dedicated Accommodation Team who work with our clinical teams for people who need
supported accommodation. We have a Supported Accommodation team 6 staff. and Homeless Mental
Health team 3 staff..
2. The protocol for discharging homeless patients or patients who face homelessness after their
discharge. Please provide a document with the discharge policy or, if there is no document,
please state what the protocol is.
Gloucestershire Health & Care NHS Foundation Trust GHC. has no specific Discharge Policy for when
a patient faces homelessness however, we do have protocols that help to safeguard patients from
becoming street homeless on discharge. It may also be worth noting that since the introduction of ELIM
housing into the inpatient services at GHC we have had no patients discharged street homeless unless
of course they are choosing to do so and have full capacity in making this decision.. Assuming that the
patient is not care act eligible the protocol is: –
. Patient is identified either on admission or during the admission to be NFA
. Ward send a referral to the IDH – Integrated Discharge Hub Inbox to inform the Team of the
patients status
. Housing Officer from ELIM is notified either during the IDH Referral Meeting held every Monday
at 13:30 or is informed by one of the team members throughout the week.
. Housing officer will seek to meet the patient on the ward prior to becoming MFFD to gain an
accommodation history from the patient and to understand the reasoning into the current NFA
status
. Housing officer will seek to determine the patients local connection in order to contact the
correct local authority that the patient will fall under
. Dependant on circumstances Housing Officer may support patient in registering with Glos
Homeseekers completing a Duty to Refer
. When the patient is MFFD Medically Fit for Discharge. the ward or IDH will inform the Housing
Officer
. The ELIM Housing officer will need to be made aware of the exact day of discharge to enable
him/her to support the patient in making either a telephone application more fitting with current
COVID Guidelines. or will be supported to the local council to make an emergency homeless
application.
. The ward will have had to formally discharged the patient in order for the application to be made
as the council will not accommodate a service user if they are not in danger of being street
homeless that evening.
. The ELIM housing officer will stay with the patient until they are accommodated into an
emergency accommodation.
. ELIM housing officer will also complete a follow up either by telephone or face to face the
housing officer may also offer continued support will the patients Glos Homeseekers
application..
Please note in some circumstances where a patient has been admitted NFA but has no recourse to
Public Funds they may not be eligible for housing under the local authority. If this is the case GHC will
refer to either GARAS Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers., EMMAUS or Migrant
Support for assistance with accommodating the service user following discharge.
3. The number of nurses or support workers who support mental health patients regarding their
housing while they are in the community. These could be housing officers, housing support
workers, special housing nurses, or similar professions that are specialised in housing support.
All our community staff support with housing issues. We assist with housing applications and seeking
alternative accommodation, we do not have dedicated housing officers but work with each district
council and their housing officers.
Should you have any queries in relation to our response in this letter, please do not hesitate to contact
me. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask
us to review our response, you should write to:-
Associate Director of Corporate Governance
Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth
GLOUCESTER GL3 4AW
If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information
Commissioner’s Office ICO. for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case
unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of
the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.
Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Officer
On behalf of Gloucestershire Health & Care NHS Foundation Trust