HIGH levels of poor health – including psychiatric problems and depression – have been reported by homeless people in Newport surveyed by a patients’ watchdog.

And while access to primary care among the city’s homeless was not identified as an issue, a “relatively high” proportion of those surveyed chose to use the Royal Gwent Hospital’s A&E department, according to a report by Aneurin Bevan Community Health Council (CHC).

People in residential accommodation for homeless people in Newport, both private and hostels run by the charity Solas, and those attending day centres, were surveyed to get a sense of health issues among the homeless.

A majority of those surveyed are registered with a GP, but the CHC report suggests that if A&E is the preferred route into healthcare for many, then engaging with their GP might be an issue. It is recommending that the possibility of high A&E attendance linked to particular GP practices be explored.

Access to NHS dentistry among the homeless also emerged as a problem, and the CHC is recommending that a means of providing regular information about which dentists are prepared to treat them would be useful.

A number of health and other agencies are considering the CHC’s findings.

The CHC has indicated that it is also prepared to carry out a further survey, in partnership with Aneurin Bevan Health Board and Newport city council, with more of a focus on rough sleepers.