Regular housing clinics cut number of mental health patients discharged without a home

THERE has been a “significant decrease” in the number of people being discharged without accommodation being detained under the Mental Health Law, the mental health director has said.

Andy Weir credited the introduction of regular housing clinics at Jersey’s inpatient mental health ward for making “a real difference”.

The clinics were set up following concerns about the “high number” of patients losing their social housing when admitted for mental health treatment.

Under current rules, when a patient is detained, income support stops paying for their social housing.

Speaking to the JEP, the mental health director said: “We now have a very regular clinic. We’ve got a worker from the housing team going to the inpatient unit… and it’s really reduced the number of people that are leaving with ‘no fixed abode’, which is superb.

“The housing worker has done superb work with the ward manager. It’s really having an impact.

“We have seen a really significant decrease in people who are leaving without some form of housing, which is excellent.”

“I can’t thank our colleagues enough in the Employment, Social Security and Housing Department because, having got together and looked at this, it feels like we’re making a real difference,” Mr Weir added.

The move followed work earlier this year to address how being detained under the Mental Health Law can lead to people losing their homes.

Mr Weir told health officials last year that this often meant people left the ward with nowhere to live.

He identified housing as a priority, describing it as a key reason why some mental health beds are taken up by patients who are medically fit to leave but unable to secure accommodation.

Regular housing clinics cut number of mental health patients discharged without a home

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