Urban Village Medical Practice Information pack for job applicants for Specialist Nurse - Homeless Healthcare post Introduction Research has clearly demonstrated that people who experience homelessness are subjected to significant health inequalities ad very poor health outcomes. Homelessness is a marker for premature morbidity and mortality. The reasons for this are multifactorial and include: Barriers to mainstream health care Lack of access to high standards of healthcare High levels of comorbidity especially substance misuse and mental health issues Poor understanding/prioritisation of healthcare needs by homeless people themselves There is now a significant body of evidence that has shown that specialist healthcare teams that work in innovative and flexible ways to deliver healthcare to this population can deliver improved outcomes for individuals. These teams are based on the principles of: Entitlement and equitable access to all healthcare services for all Advocacy for population and individuals within all mainstream services Access to specialist homeless health care services that seek to address the specific health needs of this population Effective and flexible multi-disciplinary working Urban Village Medical Practice Urban Village Medical Practice is a GP practice located in Ancoats, Manchester. The practice has been providing high quality primary care services to our local population for over 20 years and currently has approximately 8,000 patients on the list. The practice is committed to addressing health inequalities in marginalised populations and believes that high quality healthcare should be available to all. 1 Alongside the mainstream services, the practice has been commissioned to provide a primary care service to homeless people in central Manchester for the last 15 years, which is integrated into the mainstream primary care service at the practice. We currently offer a service to approximately 650 homeless patients. Our website can be found at www.uvmp.co.uk Manchester’s healthcare pathway for homeless people This is an innovative service that has been delivered by Urban Village Medical Practice since June 2013 addressing the health needs of this marginalised population. The Practice has secured further funding to deliver the in reach service for another 12months serving the Manchester Royal Infirmary site and linking into the primary care services already offered by Urban Village Medical Practice. The model of care for the Manchester service is based on evidence based work undertaken in London. Although we do not replicate this model exactly, it is a useful benchmark for the service – further information can be found at www.londonpathway.org.uk The service is achieving the following outcomes for patients who are identified as homeless and are admitted to the MRI, or those who are identified as frequent Emergency Department attendees; Improved identification of people who are homeless that attend the MRI A reduction in A&E attendances for homeless patients A reduction in the number of hospital admissions for homeless patients An increase in the number of homeless patients registered with a primary care service An increase in the number of homeless patients who receive a full health assessment/health check and continued engagement with primary care services An increase in the number of homeless patients who are discharged with a multi-disciplinary case management plan The nursing role will involve challenging and addressing discrimination against this marginalised and vulnerable patient group in a way that promotes social inclusion and facilitates access to equitable health and social care services. 2 Staffing The current service structure is as follows; 1 0.5 1 2 x fte GP clinical lead x service manager x Specialist Nurse – Homeless Healthcare x Specialist Case Manager GP clinical lead Service Manager Specialist Nurse – Homeless Healthcare Specialist Case Manager Specialist Case Manager About the role The nursing role will be expected to operate across both the primary care service and the hospital in reach service – see job description for more details. The nursing role will be pivotal not only in the delivery of clinical interventions but also in the on-going development of effective service delivery and would therefore suit an experienced nurse who has worked in a variety of healthcare settings and has a track record of being involved in and leading service development. This is an innovative post where the individual will be expected to lead on and develop the role according to identified need in the population and the service. The post holder must have a desire to address health inequalities in the population and have the drive and tenacity to achieve this as part of the team. This will require the post holder to advocate for individuals and the population as a whole within mainstream services. The post holder will be expected to work autonomously but effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team. 3 The team is a highly evolved multidisciplinary team which includes GPs, GP registrars, practice nurses, health care assistants, specialist case managers, drug workers, alcohol workers and mental health practitioners. We are a team that operate the principles of reflective practice and constantly seek to improve the way we deliver our services to improve outcomes for homeless people. How to Apply If you are interested in becoming part of our team please refer to the job description and person specification for more information on the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required, Please complete the application form document and return by email to emma.hicklin@nhs.net or by post to Emma Hicklin Homeless Service Manager Urban Village Medical Practice Ancoats Primary Care Centre Old Mill St Ancoats M4 6EE The closing date for all posts is 5pm on Friday 16th May 2014. Interviews will take place on either the 23rd or 30th May If you are short listed you will be invited for interview by email The recruitment process will involve a formal interview initially. Candidates who are successful at this stage will then be invited back for a further meeting with team members and to observe an afternoon drop in session. 4