Homeless patients sometimes struggle to engage with health for various reasons, which can range from psychological barriers such as fear and mistrust, to very practical issues such as no access to transport to physically get to their appointments; as a result, they can be late to appointments or often miss them altogether. Staff within homeless health services understand this and adapt to their needs, resulting in outstanding and life-saving care.
Additionally, homeless health services provide solid and consistent advocacy for patients in other contexts such as housing, benefits, and other parts of the NHS. They are true allies to their patients and put not only their needs, but their goals at the centre of the work they do.