Issue - meetings

The Council’s new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2021-25 was approved by Cabinet in April 2021.  Health provision is a key element of the strategy, with some good practice already in place locally and a good base to build upon.

The proposals set out in this report will help address inherent inequalities and ensure good access to services for those who are marginalised and hard to reach.

This paper outlines recommendations to continue the development of the shared care or multi-disciplinary approach in two ways and build on the great joint work already underway. 

Firstly, to further develop a Multi Disciplinary team (MDT) that homeless individuals can access and receive the support they need to find accommodation and have their health needs addressed.  Secondly, to establish a Homeless Inclusion Health Centre (a ‘Health Hub’) which provides a building based homeless health and housing centre.  Services will be delivered to those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, for example in temporary hotels or hostel accommodation.  A project manager will be recruited to establish these services effectively.

An MDT will provide outreach for people rough sleeping and inreach to people accommodated in any of the temporary accommodation units and other temporary housing settings such as hotels.  It will also operate out of the Health Hub.

It is recommended to acquire the St Stephens Church Hall, Bournemouth, as the Homeless Inclusion Health Centre (‘Health Hub’). 

The Health Hub would provide one front door where homeless individuals can attend in order to access health and housing support and advice.  The building would provide office and clinic space, showers, laundry facilities, access to computers and locker space so that people can attend and receive the support and/or treatment needed.

The acquisition of the Health Hub will be guided by the valuation by the Council’s Estates team and budget will be secured to purchase the property, refurbish the property and provide for ongoing maintenance and management.  The Confidential Appendices A and B detail the financial implications associated with this, including the long term financial modelling.

RESOLVED that Cabinet: -

(a)           Approves the further development of a Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) to better address the health needs of individuals who are homeless;

(b)           Approves the implementation of an ongoing ‘Health Hub’ provision at St Stephens Church Hall;

(c)           Approves the acquisition of St Stephens Church Hall and delegates authority to the Corporate Property Officer in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, Section 151 Officer and the Monitoring Officer to agree the specific terms of the sale (see Confidential Appendices 1 and 2); and

(d)         Approves the associated capital and revenue budget provision relating to the acquisition and management of St Stephens Church Hall (see Confidential Appendices 1 and 2).

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Homes

Reason

To help facilitate improved joint working across health services for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, in turn improving their housing and life chances.

To improve health outcomes for those who are marginalised and hard to reach.

The Portfolio Holder for Homes presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'E' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Cabinet was reminded that the Council’s new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2021-25 had been approved by Cabinet in April 2021, and that  Health provision is a key element of the strategy, with some good practice already in place locally and a good base to build upon.

Cabinet was informed that the proposals set out in the report will help address inherent inequalities and ensure good access to services for those who are marginalised and hard to reach, and that further to this the paper outlines recommendations to continue the development of the shared care or multi-disciplinary approach in two ways and build on the great joint work already underway. 

In relation to this Cabinet was advised that the Health Hub would provide one front door where homeless individuals can attend in order to access health and housing support and advice, and that the building would provide office and clinic space, showers, laundry facilities, access to computers and locker space so that people can attend and receive the support and/or treatment needed.

Further to this Cabinet was advised that the acquisition of the Health Hub will be guided by the valuation by the Council’s Estates team and budget will be secured to purchase the property, refurbish the property and provide for ongoing maintenance and management.

The Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Board addressed the Cabinet advising that at their recent meeting whilst there was no formal recommendation the Board had been hugely supportive of the report.

The Portfolio Holder expressed thanks to Officers and Members and in particular to the Lead Member for Homelessness for all their hard work.

RESOLVED that Cabinet: -

(a)           Approves the further development of a Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) to better address the health needs of individuals who are homeless;

(b)           Approves the implementation of an ongoing ‘Health Hub’ provision at St Stephens Church Hall;

(c)           Approves the acquisition of St Stephens Church Hall and delegates authority to the Corporate Property Officer in consultation with the Portfolio Holder, Section 151 Officer and the Monitoring Officer to agree the specific terms of the sale (see Confidential Appendices 1 and 2); and

(d)         Approves the associated capital and revenue budget provision relating to the acquisition and management of St Stephens Church Hall (see Confidential Appendices 1 and 2).

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Homes

Councillor Hazel Allen declared a non-pecuniary interest in this item and remained present.

To consider the following Homes related reports scheduled for Cabinet consideration on 26 May 2021:

•     Establishing a Multi-Disciplinary Team and a Homeless Health Centre

The O&S Board is asked to scrutinise the reports and make recommendations to Cabinet as appropriate.

Cabinet member invited to attend for this item: Councillor Robert Lawton, Portfolio Holder for Homes.

The Cabinet report for this item is included with the agenda for consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Board.

Establishing a Multi-Disciplinary Team and Homeless Health Centre – The Portfolio Holder for Homes introduced the report, a copy of which had been circulated to each member of the Board and a copy of which can be found at Appendix ‘C’ to these minutes in the minutes book. The Portfolio Holder was accompanied by the Lead Member for Homelessness to present the report. In the subsequent discussion the issues which were raised by the Board included:

·       Part of the purpose of the scheme was to provide a vehicle which could help homeless people get settled into housing and get back into work. It would provide a point for homeless people to access primary care resources.

·       That it was a community project including joint working with partners from health and voluntary organisations.

·       This was something which the area really needed but there were concerns raised as to whether there would be anything to prevent people from accessing the hub, such as problems with drug use or addiction. The service would be available to access by anyone who needed the assistance. As with any service there was a need to manage peoples’ time. Service users would be encouraged to make appointments.

·       There would be a welcome service for initial access and to help people decide which services they needed but it may not be possible to see a clinician immediately. However, it was anticipated that the service would be as flexible as possible.

·       A Board member raised a concern regarding the large unfunded pressure of £100k per year and asked whether options such as a special purpose vehicle or specialist charity to house this service within.

·       The Lead member for homelessness confirmed that they were looking into options surrounding this. The flat rental would also provide some income.

·       In response to a question it was confirmed that the hub would not cater only to rough sleepers but also to those who were vulnerably housed or further currently contracted by Council – adversely effected in order to fund the running of the centre.

·       There were some concerns raised that the hub would attract rough sleepers to a particular area. It wasn’t considered that it would, but it was also felt that it may speed up the process for reconnecting to the area.

·       A Member requested that local police stations and the 101 service should be made aware of this provision and know how to direct people to it Ensure local police stations and 101 system actually know about this provision.

Board members requested to raise some issues pertaining to the confidential appendix to the report, it was therefore:

RESOLVED that under Section 100 (A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 in Part I of Schedule 12A of the Act and that the public interest in withholding the information outweighs such interest in disclosing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10