The Royal Perth Homeless Team commenced in July 2016, as a collaboration between Royal Perth Hospital and the Homeless Healthcare General Practice. The core aim of the team is to improve outcomes for homeless patients by supporting them through their time in hospital, improving discharge planning and continuity of care and linking them with community-based services to address their underlying health and psychosocial needs.
The Team is modelled on the Pathway model of hospital homeless healthcare, adapted to the Perth homelessness and health sector context. This report examines the baseline health and psychosocial profiles of patients supported by the team, and describes the model of care, patient flow and patterns of contact with community-based support services over the first 18 months of operation.