Homeless people and the NHS: are we discriminating enough?

Abstract

This paper identities three ways in which health services discriminate against homeless people: by using artificial barriers to exclude people from accessing services; overtly, by failing to treat people with equal dignity and respect; by failing to discriminate positively to ensure that additional needs are properly addressed. It discusses ways in which the NHS has tried to overcome these problems and the impact of a recent project, Access to Health. It also highlights the importance of inter-agency collaboration if the full range of needs facing homeless people are to be properly addressed.

Key Words:

• Health
• homelessness
• exclusion
• discrimination