Purfleet’s Pathway To Health Hub

Here at Purfleet, we recognise that people experiencing homelessness and vulnerability can face additional barriers to accessing healthcare, from difficulties navigating services to challenges attending appointments. In fact, inequalities in access to healthcare are stark, with Pathway reporting that 65.5% of rough sleepers were registered with a GP compared with 98.0% of the general population – and 20.9% had been refused registration by a GP or dentist in the past 6 months.

With our Pathway To Health Hub, we aim to bring a range of organisations together under one roof – making to make it easier for people to access advice, information and care in a familiar, welcoming and non-judgemental environment.

With support from our staff, several clients received their winter flu vaccinations from NHS nurses. Smokefree Norfolk raised awareness of the health risks associated with smoking and connected people with support to quit, while It’s On The Ball demonstrated how to recognise the early warning signs of testicular cancer. Other organisations, including NHS Health Checks, NHS Hep C clinic, Norfolk Sexual Health Outreach & Protection and the LGBTQ+ Project, were also on hand to share advice, information and support.

The session was a great example of how partnership working can make a real difference. By bringing services together in one accessible location, we can help reduce barriers to healthcare and create more opportunities for people to take positive steps towards their health and wellbeing.

We’re delighted with the success of our Pathway to Health Hub and grateful to all the organisations that joined us. Working together, we can make essential healthcare and support more accessible to the people who need it most.