title: Improving access to health care for homeless people.
abstract: Homeless people have the poorest health outcomes in our society and the number of people who are homeless is increasing. This article explores the effect that homelessness has on health, provides details of organisations that offer services to the homeless population of London, and highlights the role of nurses in advocating for improved services for homeless patients. The need to understand and address inequalities in access to health care is also discussed. An example of the authors' practice is provided in the form of a case study.
authors.affiliation: Homeless Healthcare, London.
authors.forename: Venetia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lamb
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Joels
mesh_terms: D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D010351:Patient Discharge; D013222:State Medicine
keywords: Access; advocacy; case management; health education; health inequality; homeless people; homelessness; nursing care; social inequality