Housing link to improving people's health

nhs bosses have teamed up with the district's social housing provider to improve people's physical and mental health.

A new housing, health and social care partnership has been set up to help more people live independently in their own homes.

The scheme by Wakefield Connecting Care Partnership aims to reduce the number of people stuck in hospital and make sure they have the right support at home when discharged.

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Sarah Roxby, service director at Wakefield and District Housing, has been seconded to the NHS Wakefield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) as associate director of housing and health transformation as part of the scheme.

She said: “There are multiple factors which contribute to supporting people’s healthcare and housing is one of those factors.

“By working closer together to ensure people’s needs are met in their homes and communities we can as a system avoid un-required hospital visits and ensure people who are in hospital can return home to safe and familiar surroundings, which often supports faster health recovery.”

Mel Brown, programme commissioning director for integrated care at NHS Wakefield CCG, said: “This is an exciting development which can only further add benefits to the work we are undertaking to ensure the whole health and social care system across Wakefield and district is co-ordinated and maximised, with the patient at the heart of everything we do.”

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Research by the charity Shelter shows that people living in poor housing are at far greater risk of health problems.

Some 41 per cent of homeless people reported a long-term health problem, compared to 28 per cent of the general population.

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