A dedicated team of nurses who have helped almost 200 vulnerable people in North Lincolnshire access healthcare services can continue their vital work.
Described as ‘angels’ the Community Inclusion Team at NHS Humber Health Partnership have secured funding for another 12 months, with the potential to expand the team too.
Since the team was set up in October 2023, they’ve been providing essential healthcare services to vulnerable people via community drop-in sessions and visits to people living in temporary accommodation. They have seen 196 patients who were previously not engaging with health services, with 645 contacts made.
The team of three have been working alongside community partners and agencies including charities, safeguarding services and local housing associations.
The team was set up specifically to help those who don’t have regular access to health services due to their personal circumstances, including people sleeping rough, those living in temporary accommodation and members of the travelling community.
As well as carrying out assessments and a full array of clinical interventions, some of their work involves signposting to other services that can help, often bridging the gap between health and a social care. A lot of patients require wound care or help to manage a long-term condition.
They hold regular drop-in sessions at community venues but they also visit people in temporary accommodation and people living on the streets – where they are slowly building the trust of people who need their help.
It’s been an eye-opening experience for the team, but a rewarding one, as Laura Inglis, Matron, explains: “It can be very challenging, we’re dealing with people who have very complex needs and require a lot of social input. A lot of our work therefore involves signposting to people to where they can get the support they require as well as tending to their health needs.”
“Sometimes it can take weeks or months before people will approach us; it takes time to build that trust, but we now have regular patients we see and have developed strong relationships with. It’s a rewarding job, getting people the help they desperately need.”
Partnership working has been key to the team’s success and recently this led to them being asked to play a role in modern slavery raids, as part of a national collaboration – they were on standby to give medical attention to anyone found after police swooped in on businesses and homes in an operation aimed at tackling money laundering, forced labour and exploitation. Three arrests were made and £70,000 seized during the raids across Scunthorpe, Brigg and Doncaster. The team were based at a safe space alongside the council, safeguarding colleagues and modern slavery coordinators. Thankfully nobody required medical attention on this occasion, but they’re ready to take part in future raids and are now part of a national forum on the issue.
The impact the team are having is clear to see from the feedback they’ve received including:
- “They treat me well and with respect. They have helped me numerous times.”
- “They always get me sorted on the same day I ask them. They are lovely people and literally go out of their way to help anyone.”
- “They are literally angels and will do anything to help anyone.”
Over the next 12 months the team are hoping to carry out more outreach work – essentially visiting people where they are most needed; going to people directly on the streets, rather than waiting for them to come to them for the help they need. Drop-in sessions continue to be held at The Forge Project, The Ironstone Centre, We Are With You and at the library.
The team have also been collecting donations to support people once they’ve been placed into temporary accommodation. Everyday essentials such as towels, single bedding, sleeping bags, toothpaste and toothbrushes, deodorant and food items can all be donated to the team at Global House, Ridgeway, Scunthorpe. Water bottles and sun cream would also be gratefully received as the weather warms up.
Laura added: “Our colleagues at work and our local community have been so generous; we’ve received many donations of bedding and towels, which we’ve been able to give directly to those who need them, but please keep the donations coming.”
The team can be contacted on 03033 306822 or via email at [email protected].