What is Street Clinic?

People who experience the most extreme of health inequalities, are those who are homeless; sex workers; Gypsy, Roma, Travellers communities; vulnerable non-UK nationals; and people with substance misuse issues. These group of people encounter significant barriers to accessing and receiving healthcare that meets their needs. These barriers can include stigma, discrimination, no fixed abode or photo ID, fragmented services, a disruption to continuity of care because of unstable accommodation, immigration status, a lack of awareness by healthcare professionals of their specific needs, and lack of financial stability/ Money. Too often this results in people continually moving through support systems without getting the help they truly need to combat any medical needs.

Street Clinic is our social project with the aim of stopping health inequality in Norfolk, Norfolk is a mixture of urban and rural locations. We have two deprived areas, with Norwich having 16.3% of the population living in poverty and Great Yarmouth having 18.4% of the population living in poverty, which is ranked 32nd in the country for deprived areas. Poverty has large links with health inequality, and these people are less likely to access healthcare when needed due to cost, cost in time, financial cost, and cost of childcare. This is also linked to those who are homeless and have no fixed address, which leads to sometimes being deregistered at GP practices, lack of transport, lack of a fixed address and lack of finances. Income is associated with health: people in the bottom 40% of the income distribution are almost twice as likely to report poor health than those in the top 20%. Poverty in particular is associated with worse health outcomes overall. 

Professor Majid Ezzati, senior author of the research from Imperial’s School of Public Health, said: “Falling life expectancy in the poorest communities is a deeply worrying indicator of the state of our nation’s health, and shows that we are leaving the most vulnerable out of the collective gain.

We currently have a perfect storm of circumstances that impact on people’s health, and that are leading to people who are in poverty dying younger. Working wages has stagnated and benefits have been cut, forcing many working families to use foodbanks. The price of healthy foods like fresh fruit and vegetables has increased relative to unhealthy, processed food, putting them out of the reach of the poorest.

There is a well-established link between disadvantage and poor health that demonstrates the devastating impact that social exclusion can have on someone’s physical and mental health. For example, the average age of death for people experiencing homelessness in England and Wales is 46 for a man and 42 for a woman. This is compared to life expectancy in the general population of 79 for men and 83 for women. We also know the life expectancy of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities is around 10-12 years less than the general population.

We will be Supporting people who use Street Clinic in the following ways:

• Free Condoms
• Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) Test Kits
• HIV Testing – Send away and Point of Care
• Sexual Health Training 
• Safer Needle Exchange
• Safer Needle Training 
• Minor Illness Assessment and Referral 
• Urgent Illness Assessment and Referral
• Follow up Advice and Referrals
• Wound Assessment and Referral
• Wound Closure and Wound Care
• Supply of Medications to treat illness and injures at point of care.
•  Alcohol Use Support and Advice
• Wellness Checks
• Referrals to Mental Health Teams  
• Referrals to Social Services
• Social Prescribe 

What will aim to offer?     

• Prescribing
• Childhood Vaccination Injections
• Flu Injections 
• Hepatitis A and B Vaccinations
• HPV Vaccinations 

• A single service the benefits people across the county. 
• Cost Effective and Cheaper than other healthcare services. 
• Not Replacing GP Practices but providing additional support.
• Provides a mobile service and it comes to the service user.
• Provides regular Healthcare Professionals to vulnerable service users. 
• Clinics do not have to be in the same place constantly 
• Breaks down barriers of phone calls and appointments 
• Specialty Trained Clinicians
• Social prescribing 
• Health promotion in workshops and training
• Mobile and can see service users in their ‘safe spaces’
• Removes stigma around going into a GP 
• Provides Health Promotion as well as treatment 
• Providing a service ‘under one roof’ regarding access to additional support and referrals. 
• Can run 7 days per a week not 5 days a week, making access better. 
• Not just during office hours, we will operate to capture those who work during the day. 
• Flexible and adaptable service with the ability to increase pressures to meet demand. 
• Scope for addition of aiding refugees upon entry into the UK

Street Clinic has 4 main 'Spokes' which are: 

• Norwich
• Kings Lynn
• Thetford 
• Great Yarmouth 

Additional locations are:

• Dereham 
• Cromer  
• North Walsham 
• Diss

Due to the nature of how we work, we cannot accept donations of medication, but we can accept donations in medical equipment, with a full list of things that we will frequently use is coming soon.  Each time we set up a Clinic it will cost us around £100 due to fuel and equipment, consumables will cost anywhere from £10 to £100 additional cost depending on medications given out.  

We will be starting applications for corporate sponsorship and also using just giving and PayPal donations and all donations will be going straight  to Street Clinic and not towards the cost of running of Support Medical Group.  We also understand people can not afford to donate, donating time by raising awareness or if you are clinically qualified and we would be love you to come help us! 

We currently going through the process of becoming a Community Interest Company and going through the fundraising regulator accreditation.  

One of the best ways to support the project is to use Support Medical Group for your events and festivals as the medical provider. 

We have a Amazon Wish List for consumables that we use the most regally, this can be found HERE.

 We will be asking a number of questions before a user can access our services, this will be to make sure we get to those in need,  and not people who cannot get a GP appointment or where just passing by. We will only be able to see people who are 2+ Years old, this will be due to the complexities of treating such young children.   

1. Are receiving Universal Credit 

2. Currently Access a food bank 

3. Are currently Homeless or have no fixed abode (Hidden Homeless)

4. Are a Refugee 

5. Are seeking Asylum in the UK 

6. Are unregistered in being in the UK (Illegally in the UK)

7. Are a current or previous illicit drug user

8. Currently drinks Alcohol to excess or has in the past (they regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week)

9. Are a current or past Sex worker 

10. Have been diagnosed with a Serious Mental Illness (SMI)

11. Are a Gypsy, Roma or a Traveller

12. On County or district council vulnerable list

13. Currently provide care to Family or Relative/ Registered Carer

14. Are 75+ years old

For Street Clinic to operate we need to complete the following next steps.