A Place to Call Home Exhibition - Pharmacy for Homelessness (PHOENIx)

What is the Pharmacy for Homelessness project about? 

Our project aims to provide easy access to physical mental and substance use, related health checks and treatment for people experiencing homelessness through local pharmacies. An NHS pharmacist with prescribing skills and rights, working alongside a homelessness support worker, will provide ongoing support with the aim of mitigating health problems, as well as to provide support for housing and debt related problems.

Why is this research important? 

People who experience homelessness have got a multitude of health and social problems and are likely to die much younger than housed populations. In this project, where aiming to provide timely diagnosis, treatment and referral for a multitude of health and social problems, mainly through community pharmacy, so that we can save lives and prevent early deaths.

What do you think home mean to the people involved in the project? 

Participants in my research often describe being denied access to services because they can't provide an address. When asked so for many, a home would be a place where they would feel safe from persecution, a place where they've got access to a fridge to store their medicines when needed. And an address that they can provide when asked to register for services.