Health commissioner visits housing projects

NHS Commissioner Dr Kate Rush (pictured here on the right with Second Step Chief Executive Aileen Edwards) visited Second Step’s housing project Toll House Court earlier this week to find out more about the work we do to tackle health and homelessness.

Dr Rush, Associate Medical Director with the Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group is putting together a health strategy focused on homelessness and people with mental health problems and other needs, and spent over an hour with the team at the Bedminster high support project in Bristol.

She said: “It’s vital our plan to improve health services for people with complex needs takes its lead from what we know is happening on the ground. Seeing the work Second Step is doing first hand was incredibly helpful.”

Dr Rush also spoke to our Health Link staff working in the Homeless Health GP Service at Jamaica Street, Bristol. Dr Mike Taylor said Health Link was the glue in the service for homeless clients. Dr Rush also met staff from the Golden Key Programme who delivered a winter pressures short project in Bristol’s acute hospitals. A report about the winter pressures work is due out soon.