Christmas shelter for the homeless opened in Anlaby Road by Hull Royal staff
HOSPITAL staff are opening a house to care for homeless people in a bid to tackle bed blocking over Christmas.
Doctors, nurses, cleaners and ancillary staff will give up their free time to look after sick homeless people at the house in Anlaby Road, west Hull, as hospital staff reach out to the city's homeless community this winter.
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Safe place: Jill Venables, Pauline Lewin and Edward Fahy have helped set up the homeless shelter in Anlaby Road, west Hull
The house, donated by Sanctuary Housing until the end of February, opened its doors for the first time last night.
It is part of a radical winter plan by Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust to ensure homeless people with medical conditions and illnesses do not block beds at Hull Royal Infirmary.
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Pauline Lewin, the trust's chief of infrastructure and development, said: "If a member of the homeless community is admitted to hospital, it takes five times more to treat them – they generally have more illnesses and they stay longer.
"There are times when a homeless person comes into A&E, they are treated and then we can't just send them away with nowhere to sleep, so we give them a bed for the night.
"Having the accommodation opposite the hospital means they can be treated and then given a bed there for the night."
Nurses and doctors have volunteered to give health checks to the home's residents in their own time.
Surplus patient food which is not given out on the wards will be fed to the home's residents.
Old showers, sinks and beds which have been removed from the hospital during renovation work have been fitted at the house, with builders currently employed by the NHS and those working on the new A&E volunteering to fit them.
The trust has emphasised the house will not be in competition with other homeless shelters and will take in people once others in the city, such as The Crossings in east Hull, become full.
Initially, it will have from eight to ten beds, but this can be upped to a maximum of 20 if demand increases when the temperatures plummet.
Trust chief executive Phil Morley said: "For people who are worried we are 'wasting' NHS money on this – we aren't.
"All the staff time, food and furniture for the house have been donated.
"We have a responsibility to do whatever we can for homeless people.
"The average life expectancy of someone living on the streets is 41 – which is shocking."
The project coincides with Emmaus becoming the trust's charity of the year for 2013.
The national organisation, which has a charity shop in Newland Avenue, supports homeless people to get work and accommodation.
Ms Lewin said: "A lot of people have a certain perception about homeless people – that they're all alcoholics or drug addicts.
"Some do, but more than 20 per cent don't.
"They say you are only two pay-cheques away from being homeless – without two months worth of wages, most people would struggle to afford their car and home and would be homeless. We have a corporate responsibility to do what we can to help these people."
Comments
by cazmarelda
Sunday, December 23 2012, 5:20PM
“Very good - but the trust must have changed its policies re- homelessness since 2004/05 because it did not matter how unwell you were back then if you were homeless the security threw you out and they did that quite roughly.I am talking winter 2004/05 so it was freezing and your were not allowed to even sit quietly in the waiting room when it was empty - so this is a complete 'turn around'.
If its changed that is very good because it certainly needed to!”
by 23041642
Friday, December 21 2012, 8:17PM
“David_Nivea
The quote as I read it talks about the percentage of people who have perceptions. The fact that 80% (where did you get 79% from??) perceive that the homeless are druggies etc, is merely a PERCEPTION. There is a world of difference between perception and reality... so those 80% can perceive what they like... this does not translate that they are all right as they don't KNOW, they only PERCEIVE.
It is entirely possible that out of those 80% most simply don't know the numbers of homeless who are dependant on drugs/alcohol. Semantics maybe, but it does alter the meaning of the text.”
by oldgoldone
Friday, December 21 2012, 2:35PM
“This is true, practical Christianity. God bless you all, both those who give and they who receive. Perhaps HDM can provide a web address to which financial contributions can be sent.
And, before anybody says it, I would volunteer to help but I'm going away on Sunday (not for ever, I hope!)”
by NeilTheasby
Friday, December 21 2012, 12:38PM
“Hats off to these wonderful people who care enough to go the extra mile for needy down-and-outs who exist below the bottom rung of society's ladder. I feel ashamed to admit that my Christmas won't involve helping others in such a selfless manner.
(Sustained applause for the hospital staff involved in this marvellous initiative)”
by glen1954
Friday, December 21 2012, 12:29PM
“After reading so many stories of doom and gloom and the atrocities going on in the world this story lifts my spirit a little ,well done to these people who voulunteer to give their time free of charge, it seems that compassion for others it still alive and kicking in our wonderful city,bless them all !!!”
by PurpleParrot
Friday, December 21 2012, 12:09PM
“This is the REAL meaning of Xmas. It's not about shopping, cards, presents, 'Father Xmas', stuffing yourself with food and getting as much drink in you as possible. It's about helping others, people less fortunate and general kindness. Well done to all concerned.”
by SantiagoSam
Friday, December 21 2012, 11:09AM
“Well done, and a Merry Christmas to all involved.”
by TheMarketX
Friday, December 21 2012, 10:54AM
“Good on them, nursing is *still* a vocation and these people show that. Well done x”
by David_Nivea
Friday, December 21 2012, 10:42AM
“"Ms Lewin said: "A lot of people have a certain perception about homeless people – that they're all alcoholics or drug addicts.
"Some do, but more than 20 per cent don't."
At least 79% do then.
The homeless people who hang about in and around the library speak of nothing else but drink, drugs, raising money via shoplifting, complaining indignantly about the quality of food in soup kitchens, moaning about only having "£77 a week" in benefits, etc.
However, the people volunteering are making a noble effort.”
by burglaralarm
Friday, December 21 2012, 10:13AM
“Well done on these kind hearted people this is the real people in our NHS doing what they do best pity the hierarchy don't take a leaf out of their book.
These angels know people are not just statistics but real individuals with problems Doesn't matter how many cuts there are they always step up to the mark because they actually care I hope they all have a very merry Christmas and thank you for giving up your time.
Maybe its about time we gave the power to the people who know how to use it sensibly and actually care Well done”