Common Ambition aims to help the homeless in Brighton

Common Ambition is being led by Arch Health, a Community Interest Company set up by clinicians to address the health needs of vulnerable and homeless people in the city.

The three-year project is set to launch in January and will be run in partnership with the University of Brighton, homelessness charity JustLife, Brighton and Hove Clinical Commissioning Groups and Public Health Departments.

The aim is to improve health services for the homeless through direct patient involvement.

Project chairman Gary Bishop said: “We are delighted to be able to launch this vital project. This is a unique opportunity for our city to reduce suffering and save lives.

“We will have resources to really understand, from a patient view, where the system and services are performing well, and where we can work together to make improvements.

“All partners are committed to creating a health system that really works for people experiencing homelessness.”

According to the Faculty for Homeless Health, people who are homeless are 34 times more likely to have tuberculosis, 50 times more likely to have Hepatitis C, 12 times more likely to have epilepsy, six times more likely to have heart disease, and five times more likely to have a stroke.

Recent research by Homeless Link shows 86 per cent of individuals experiencing homelessness have mental health problems, while 39 per cent take drugs or are recovering from a drug problem and 27 per cent have, or are recovering from, an alcohol problem.