Health and care needs of people experiencing homelessness attending emergency care services in rural and coastal North East England: a quantitative study using hospital data

People experiencing homelessness often face challenges accessing health and social care services, prompting reliance on emergency care services. This study aimed to characterize the health needs of people experiencing homelessness seeking emergency care in rural and coastal areas of North East England. Data from emergency care facilities in Northumberland and North Tyneside areas of North East England were analysed for the period between 1 February 2019 and 31 March 2022. Homelessness was identified using hospital records, and participant characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity) and health details (repeat attendances, diagnoses, and underlying co-morbidities) were analysed descriptively. 260 homeless individuals made 567 visits to emergency departments over three years, with 55% being repeat attendances within 12 months. Most were male (83%) with a mean age of 39 years, 32% of attendances had multiple diagnoses, with poisoning, psychiatric disorders, and social issues being the most common diagnoses. People experiencing homelessness in rural coastal areas of North East England present at emergency care services with issues related to drugs, alcohol, mental health, and social care, along with high levels of co-morbidities. These findings highlight the complexity of their needs, which need to be addressed outside of emergency care.