A Comparative Study of Hospital Discharge for Homeless People

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Effectiveness and Cost-effectiveness of 'Usual Care' versus 'Specialist Integrated Care': A Comparative Study of Hospital Discharge Arrangements for Homeless People in England

  • IRAS ID

    166237

  • Contact name

    Michelle Cornes

  • Contact email

    michelle.cornes@kcl.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    King's College London

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    2 years, 5 months, 1 days

  • Research summary

    The overall aim of this study is to establish the ways in which specialist integrated homeless health and care (SIHHC) services are being developed and used to facilitate hospital discharge in England. We also aim to examine the impact this is having on quality of care for homeless people admitted to hospital and whether this care can help prevent readmission to hospital shortly afterwards.

    The study consists of two distinct, but related, work packages. The first work package (WP1) seeks to gain an informed understanding of the ways in which specialist integrated homeless health and care (SIHHC) services are being developed and implemented to facilitate hospital discharge in England and, relatedly, the impact this is having on quality of care and organisational outcomes such as the prevention of readmission to hospital.

    The second strand of the research project (WP2) is a data linkage and health economic analysis work package that will work with twenty sites across England where homeless patients have been admitted to hospital. A cohort of homeless people who have used specialist discharge scheme will be compared to a cohort of homeless people who have not used such provision. We will also compare patient’s hospitalisation history before and after engagement with specialist services.

  • REC name

    East of England - Essex Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    16/EE/0018

  • Date of REC Opinion

    12 Apr 2016

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion