WINCHESTER’S Royal Hampshire County Hospital treated the largest number of homeless people in Hampshire, according to new figures.

Some 66 people attended the accident and emergency department of the RHCH between April 2009 and March 2010.

Portsmouth was second with 56 homeless patients, Basingstoke third with 15, while Southampton treated just 11.

The most common recorded reasons for their injuries were accidents, followed by assaults and deliberate self-harm.

The figures were compiled by NHS Hampshire Primary Care Trust, which commissions healthcare services. Previous years’ figures were not available at the time of going to press.

Managers have made improving health care for the homeless a priority.

Previous research by the PCT has shown rough sleepers have an average age expectancy of just 42, and are four times more likely to die from unnatural causes, such as assaults, drugs or alcohol poisoning.

However, the homeless seeking help for their healthcare problems can find it difficult to register with a GP without a home address.

The Trinity Centre in Winchester, a charity that helps the homeless, runs a drop-in clinic with a GP and nurse for both registered and unregistered patients.

The future of healthcare at the purpose-built centre in Durngate Place has been reviewed by the PCT, which partly funds the service.

Julie Slater, a trustee on the board of the Trinity Centre, said ideally they would like to increase the sessions with a GP or nurse to five per week.

She said: “We are grateful for what we have got — two sessions a week with a GP and one with a nurse, but what we really need is a GP or nurse every day.

“That is much more likely to keep people out of A&E.”

A report to the county council’s health overview and scrutiny committee, said health bosses want to continue funding clinical services at the site. The plan is to build links with a local GP surgery to develop the service.

A contract for a new provider in the Winchester area is to be put out to tender within the next six months. The previous provider, Hampshire Community Health Care, resigned the contract.

The report said a key target was to strengthen the relationship with the Trinity Centre and improve primary care services for the homeless in the city.

In Basingstoke, NHS Hampshire provides medical and dental services to both registered and unregistered patients with or without appointments, offering flexible and immediate service to meet the needs of homeless people.

Michele Price, manager at the Winchester Churches Nightshelter, in Jewry Street, said: “There’s very little support for those with high alcohol dependency in Winchester, whereas in Southampton they have more facilities to deal with alcoholrelated health problems.” she said.

“But we are looking at trying to set up a high alcohol dependency hostel with Trinity and Winchester City Council to alleviate these problems and reduce the number of hospital admissions.”

What do you think? Leave your comments below.