Pathway

📢 Published today, the third annual report on our hospital partnership programme shines a light on the achievements of the NHS hospital homelessness teams we support. In 2024/5, the network of teams on @_pathway_uk ’s Partnership Programme: ✅ Reduced returns to rough sleeping by 62% and to sofa surfing by 33%. ✅ Registered 70% of patients with no prior access to primary care with accessible GPs. ✅ Saved the NHS over £9 million per year in avoided costs. ✅ Made over 13,000 bed days available for other patients by reducing readmissions and driving joined up working with community services. These achievements come as demand for the teams’ services soar. In 2024/5, the network of specialist homelessness teams helped 4,778 patients experiencing homelessness, a massive 41% increase on 2023/4. The desperately poor health of rising numbers of people facing homelessness, combined with the barriers people experiencing homelessness face accessing primary care, is driving this increased demand on hospitals. With the latest government statistics revealing a 20% increase in rough sleeping, pressures on hospitals from rising homelessness are set to climb even further at a time when the NHS is under intense financial pressure. There is a better way, for people, and for the NHS. @_pathway_uk ’s latest report underlines why hospital expert homelessness teams must be seen as part of the solution for the cash-strapped NHS, and their widespread adoption a central plank of the Government’s forthcoming Homelessness Strategy. Read the full report and find out more about our Pathway Partnership Programme on our website - link in bio. #HealthInequalities #EndHomelessness #NHS #Pathway #SpecialistCare

It’s great to see coverage of the @_pathway_uk @modular garden in @thetimes online today – The Chelsea Flower Show garden that's changing lives. People’s personal experiences of homelessness have inspired The Pathway Garden, including those of Ross who features in @joe_swifty ’s article. “One individual supported by the charity, Ross, described the crippling feelings of stigma and social judgment he had felt when he’d seen people looking at him sitting in a doorway.” The Pathway Garden is all about replacing “the fear and loneliness of homelessness and being outside” with the experience of nature and natural spaces being “places of safety, calm, reflection and healing”. Thank you @joe_swifty for this lovely piece, for helping to breakdown stigma and misunderstandings about homelessness and for sharing your excitement about The Pathway Garden. #gardensforgoodcauses #thepathwaygarden #projectgivingback #chelseaflowershow #rhschelsea2025

Watch this snapshot of the brilliant film by our sponsors @project.giving.back about The Pathway Garden to learn about our charity and the amazing garden design it has inspired. 🌿 We’re immensely grateful to @modular.london for their creativity and their support. Our show garden at Chelsea provides an invaluable opportunity to raise awareness of the catastrophic impact of homelessness on health and the huge obstacles people experiencing homelessness face in getting the healthcare they desperately need. It enables us to spread the word about our vital work to create networks of recovery and growth - helping the NHS meet the health and care needs of some of the most vulnerable people in society, to save lives, and support people out of homelessness. Thank you to @project.giving.back for your generous sponsorship of #Gardensforgoodcauses and Pathway 💚 Full film is on our website (link in bio) ⏯️ #rhschelsea #rhschelseaflowershow #projectgivingback #thepathwaygarden #gardensforgoodcauses #rhschelsea2025

📢 LAST CALL FOR OUR MAY MASTERCLASS Tuesday 19th May, 3.30-5pm 𝙄𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙗𝙚 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙮, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙩: 𝙄𝙣𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮. We are delighted to have Emma Adams, NIHR Doctoral Fellow at Newcastle University, and Jamesy Dillon from @_pathway_uk ’s Lived Experience Advisory Group leading our May Masterclass. Building on the success of the @_pathway_uk Conference Lived Experience panel in March, this Masterclass will provide a deeper dive into the practicalities of meaningfully involving people with lived experience in research and service delivery. The session will cover approaches, strategies and tips for involvement, while critically reflecting on levels of involvement that are most appropriate when time or resources are constrained. Visit our website to book your place – link in bio.

💡 𝗪𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 “𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲” 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 - 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀? We’ve just published the second blog in a new inclusion health series - sharing insights from our March Pathways from Homelessness conference. This latest piece explores the critical question: are we truly embedding lived experience into decision-making, or keeping it on the sidelines? The blog highlights the shift needed - from involving people with lived experience as contributors, to recognising them as equal partners in designing services and shaping policy. It challenges us to reflect on: 🔹 Whether current approaches go beyond consultation 🔹 How power, influence and expertise are shared 🔹 What meaningful co‑production looks like in practice The message is clear: 👉 Inclusion health cannot be effective without genuine partnership with people who have direct experience of exclusion. With pressures on health systems growing, unlocking better outcomes will depend on how well we listen, and act on, these perspectives. Read the full blog on our website - link in bio. #InclusionHealth #CoProduction #HealthInequalities #NHS #HealthPolicy #EndingHomelessness

🧠 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 The connection between mental health and homelessness is deep, persistent - and too often unmet. The scale of the problem is highlighted in recent research: 🔹𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: 27% of the respondents in @homeless_link 's 2025 homeless health needs audits had been admitted to hospital due to a mental health condition before losing their home; 73% of people with a personality disorder had been diagnosed prior to becoming homeless. 🔹𝗟𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁: 92% of frontline workers surveyed for our 2025 Barometer report said it was difficult or very difficult for people in inclusion health groups to access mental health services. 🔹𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 72% of Homeless Link’s respondents had used drugs to manage mental health symptoms in the previous 12 months. Across the @_pathway_uk Partnership Programme, hospital teams see this reality. In 2024/25 two thirds of patients presented with substance misuse, over half had mental health problems, and 44% were living with both (up from 38% in 2023/24). The significant barriers they face accessing adequate mental health support result in a vicious cycle of homelessness and poor mental health. The forthcoming Modern Service Framework on Mental Health and the move towards increased neighbourhood health services present a critical opportunity to drive change. Pathway is calling for: ✅ 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 to high-quality mental health care for people experiencing homelessness, ✅ 𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 to prevent people from reaching crisis point, ✅ 𝗛𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰, 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻-𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 that wraps around the individual, ✅ 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲, designed to meet people where they are. 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 — 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲.

‼️ New Government statistics published today show a concerning increase in the clinical and social complexity of people facing homelessness. Between October and December last year, 62.3% of households owed a duty to prevent or relieve homelessness had at least one additional support need including mental health needs, physical ill health and disability. That’s a 4.4% increase on last year. Hospital teams across the @_pathway_uk Partnership Programme are seeing this complexity grow day by day. In 2024/25, two thirds of patients presented with substance misuse, over half had mental health problems, and 44% were living with both. Nearly a third were facing a combination of mental health, substance misuse and safeguarding needs. These numbers show something we’ve long understood: If we are serious about preventing and responding to homelessness, our health and social care systems must be part of the solution. We’re calling for: ➡️ Clinically led, multi-disciplinary teams to provide holistic support for patients experiencing homelessness in hospital, ➡️ A stronger focus on prevention, integration and support for people facing homelessness in the development of neighbourhood health services, ➡️ A review and refresh of self-neglect and mental capacity policy and practice tools to support local authorities’ safeguarding responsibilities for people facing homelessness. #EndHomelessness #HealthInequalities #Pathway

📣 New series of inclusion health blogs. Our March Pathways from Homelessness conference brought together nearly 400 colleagues from across the Inclusion Health sector. Together, we explored the latest research, heard powerful insights from people with lived experience of homelessness and discussed how we can shape more inclusive services to better support those most in need. The conversations didn’t stop there. Today we’re launching a post-conference blog series, diving deeper into some of the key inclusion health topics highlighted throughout the event - continuing the dialogue and momentum. 📖 Read the first blog in the series, written by @_pathway_uk 's CEO Alex Bax: link in bio. More to follow on Lived Experience, Neighbourhood Health, Intermediate Care and Access to healthcare for all. #HealthInequalities #EndHomelessness #Pathway

Wonderful to see the @_pathway_uk Shekinah garden waking up - hostas unfurling, green shoots everywhere- looking lovely #gardensforgood #spring #plymouth #rhschelsea

That’s it for Pathways from Homelessness 2026. It's been an excellent two days of discussion, debate, learning and solidarity. 💚 A huge thank you to: 🔹 So many members of the Faculty for Homeless and Inclusion Health and other colleagues working in inclusion health for joining us – over 400 of you. 🔹 Our keynote speakers: Professor Claire Fuller, Professor Durka Dougall, Paul Corrigan CBE, Professor Andy Knox MBE, Juliet Mountford, Professor Margot Kushel MD. 🔹@_pathway_uk ’s Lived Experience Team for their huge contribution to the conference, running a plenary and chairing many of our panels. 🔹 Over 65 expert speakers, many who had travelled long distances, including from other continents. 🔹 Our excellent panel Chairs, expertly leading the discussion on a huge range of topics in over 30 separate sessions. We hope everyone left the conference inspired, challenged and re-energised for their vital work supporting people facing the worst health inequalities. This is a critical juncture for inclusion health. As Professor Durka Dougall told the conference, the health and social care system is at a ‘hinge point’. The implementation of the Ten-Year Plan, the move to neighbourhood health and the restructuring of the commissioning landscape together are creating major upheaval for the NHS. We must work together to ensure that tackling extreme health inequalities remains central to the NHS’s future. We are inspired by the call to action from @PathwayUK 's Lived Experience team today: “So, let’s keep going. Let’s keep believing. Let’s keep building a future where no one is left behind. Because together, we are not just changing lives—we are changing the story.”

@_pathway_uk ‘s Professor Kamila Hawthorne chairing an excellent penultimate session at Pathways from Homelessness 2026 on the importance of collaboration across sectors to tackle homelessness and multiple disadvantage. A strong focus from all on the panel that lived experience must drive the system change and research needed to tackle homelessness. We must stop, as Richard Lewis of MEAM explained, asking: “This is what we offer. Do you want to engage with it?”and instead ask: “How can we as a system help you move forward?”

Thank you to Juliet Mountford, Executive Director of Client Services at @crisis_uk , for chairing our panel session on Housing for Recovery at Pathways from Homelessness day 2. Shocking research findings shared by Faye Sanders, Co-Chair of the Healthy Homes Research Network, on the biological impact of poor quality housing, including early ageing of both children and adults.