Rights to Access

Healthwatch Warwickshire designed a Right to Access project which aimed to increase understanding of the rights of homeless people to access Primary Care, especially GPs. This was done by distributing information, including Rights to Access Cards, running workshops with people who worked with homeless people and engaging with GPs.

The Rights to Access Project (RAP) is generally seen as being of great value by homeless people and the organisations that work with and for them. The positive responses from homeless people and key partners appear to indicate that the rights-based approach is correct and was strongly endorsed and supported by Warwickshire County Council. It became clear during the course of the project that homelessness and the approaches to dealing with it varies considerably between Districts of Warwickshire. There are a complex range of reasons for this variation. GP Practices have varied considerably in their responses to RAP. Some have been enthusiastic participants, but there has been a large degree of reluctance to engage by other Practices. The Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) have also varied in their responses to RAP. It was embraced by South Warwickshire CCG as a valuable piece of work, but not by Coventry and Rugby, or North Warwickshire CCGs.

Healthwatch Warwickshire will be sharing this approach with partners.