The event, hosted by The Greenhouse Practice at 19 Tudor Road (Hackney), aimed to provide support for homeless women in the area who are living in temporary accommodation or facing difficulty in registering with a GP.
The event was a fantastic opportunity for women to take control of their health and wellbeing. Health checks, screenings, flu jabs, and free supplies of clothes and shoes were available, along with hot food and drinks, long-life food supplies, toiletries, feminine hygiene and care products. The Greenhouse Practice team were on hand to offer health and social care support and advice, making a real difference in the local community for all women.
The event received support from various organisations and services in City and Hackney, including Positive East, which provided a comprehensive and holistic range of HIV support and prevention services, the City and Hackney GP Confederation's free Hackney Stop Smoking Service, and the team from Whip Hackney Hair Salon, who volunteered to offer haircuts to women attending the event. Additionally, a special thank you goes to City Hive for donating all the non-perishable food items, which were offered to patients to support the event.
Councillor and Mayoral Adviser for Homelessness, Housing Needs and Rough Sleeping, Sade Etti, was among the guests.
The "Women's Health Research Report", published by Groundswell (in collaboration with Greenhouse Practice), highlights the unique health challenges and barriers to accessing healthcare faced by homeless women. Homeless women face difficulties in accessing basic amenities and healthcare services and are more likely to experience poor physical and mental health outcomes than the general population. The report emphasises the need for more research into the specific health needs of homeless women and the development of gender-sensitive healthcare services tailored to their needs.
“We are committed to making healthcare more accessible to all patients in the community, and the success of the International Women's Day event indicates we are moving in the right direction,” said Sultan Ahmed, Practice Manager at the Greenhouse.
Dr Mohit Venkataram, Executive Director for Primary Care at ELFT added: "Primary care plays a vital role in improving health and wellbeing for all, and it is especially important to ensure access to healthcare services for those who may be facing social or economic barriers. The Greenhouse Practice Women's Health event is a wonderful example of how primary care can make a real difference in the lives of those who need it most. We need to continue to work towards ensuring equitable access to healthcare for all women, regardless of their socio-economic circumstances."
The Greenhouse Practice participates in the Change Please programme, which provides free health and social care support to people experiencing homelessness using a refurbished London bus. The team encourages people to get involved by visiting Hackney Town Hall every Thursday between 9.30am to 4.30pm.