Eoin Ó Broin
Question:54. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide an update on the work of his Department in addressing the issue of premature deaths of single people experiencing homelessness. [11819/23]
View answerThursday, 20 April 2023
Questions (54)
Written answers
Addressing the health needs of homeless persons and improving their access to healthcare services is a priority for the Department of Health and the HSE.
In 2020, the Department of Health asked the Health Research Board to undertake a feasibility study to collect mortality data among people known to be homeless from closed files in the Coroners Service. The purpose of the feasibility study was to strengthen the evidence base for preventing premature death among people who are homeless. A report on the data for 2019 is being prepared for publication. Its findings will inform the response to premature deaths among the homeless population.
Housing for All, the national housing plan, sets out the Government policy for reducing and preventing homelessness by 2030. This will be achieved by a housing-led approach as the primary response to all forms of homelessness. Eliminating homelessness will fundamentally address the social determinants of health for people who are homeless.
As part of the response to Covid-19, the Department of Health provided additional funding of €11 million in 2021 to enhance health services for people who are homeless, and to continue the protective public health measures for the medically vulnerable and Covid positive homeless population. In Budget 2022, a further €10m was provided in Covid funding for people who are homeless. This funding allowed for the continuation of the protective public health measures developed during COVID-19 for the medically vulnerable homeless population, and expansion of GP services for people who living in emergency accommodation in Dublin and regional centres.
I am committed to strengthening integrated care pathways for people who are homeless with chronic health needs based on an inclusion health model, to achieve better health outcomes and to reduce the incidence of premature death.