Meet the Mental Health and Homeless Service

Providing secondary mental health services to some of Coventry and Warwickshire’s most vulnerable people.

The Mental Health and Homeless Service supports anyone with severe mental illness who is homeless or at risk of eviction. They work closely with charities, healthcare providers, social care and councils to identify people who need support and help them to access and navigate appropriate services. This could be through incoming referrals, or visiting hostels and temporary accommodation, food banks, and charity organisations to provide expert support and guidance to people, wherever they may need it.

People who are homeless are more likely to experience poor mental health and face barriers to accessing services, particularly primary and preventative care. The service began 4 and a half years ago to address this need.

The service operates across North Warwickshire, South Warwickshire and Coventry, with a team of two covering each locality.

North Warwickshire – Rebecca and Dave

Mental health nurse Rebecca, and support worker Dave, make up the North Warwickshire Team. We went to speak to them at the Salvation Army in Nuneaton, where they visit on Thursdays to park the Mobile Wellbeing Unit; a van to provide an on-the-go therapeutic space to see service users in private. While people gather outside of the Salvation Army for a hot meal, Rebecca, Dave and Cath, a physical health nurse from South Warwickshire University Foundation NHS Trust (SWFT) open the hub's doors to anyone who needs support.

Rebecca said: “The mobile wellbeing hub is so valuable. The people we see have often gone through so much in their lives and have a lot of trauma. In our conversations, it is so important they are in a safe space to speak to us and share some of that information. It also allows us to be more visible, as people can see we are here and where to find us.”

When asked why they do what they do, support worker Dave said “It’s because we care. There are homeless people out there who are really disadvantaged in society, and they don’t have the support networks and that’s what we’re there for, to make the links between different agencies and offer any support that we can.”

Coventry – Sara and Sam

Mental health social worker Sara, and support worker Sam, comprise the Coventry Team. This year, the team have been shortlisted for the NHS Parliamentary Awards in the Excellence in Mental Health category for their support and unwavering commitment to helping people who are homeless.

We met Sara at Harnall Lifehouse in Coventry, which is run by the Salvation Army and provides temporary accommodation. The team runs regular drop-in sessions here and at other similar sites to offer outreach and mental health support to people who are homeless. The team also accepts referrals and will go to where they are needed in the local area.

Sara said: “I have a strong sense of justice and feel that homeless people often have no one to advocate for them. They are one of the most discriminated against groups, and before our service, there wasn’t much knowledge about this group and their needs. Not only do I get to make a difference, but it is also an interesting and challenging role.”

Sara also sits on the Coventry City Council’s Vulnerable Persons Forum monthly to offer advice and is part of the national anti-slavery network to raise awareness of the signs that someone may be a victim of modern slavery.

South Warwickshire – Nancy and Julie

Advanced nurse practitioner Nancy, and support worker Julie, cover South Warwickshire. As with the wider team, partnership working is the key to the difference they make, working with charities and organisations including Helping Hands and the Fred Winter Centre in Stratford-upon-Avon. The team works flexibly to meet the needs of the people they support and says that breaking down barriers and addressing health inequalities is at the centre of their mission.

Support worker Julie said: “I love working with people, it’s what I have always done. The role never gets boring and it’s really interesting. Seeing successful outcomes and knowing how we’ve helped someone is really rewarding, even though it can be challenging and often takes time to get there.”

One of the teams’ recent successes was supporting a service user to access rehab after 5 years of substance misuse problems. Julie said: “It can be hard to get people to engage with services, and the process of accessing and gaining funding to rehab can take time; it’s vital we are there to support people through that.”