WE HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE ON HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS

In the last ten years HealthBus has been providing healthcare services for Bournemouth’s homeless population, we have learnt a lot and become something of an authority..

Above all, we have first-hand experience of the misery of homelessness, but also of the dramatic impact providing effective healthcare can have on turning lives around.

Which is why our ambition is to roll out our learnings and experience to help other communities across the UK.

Research

Learn more about homelessness – and how the HealthBus team are changing lives.

Our innovative research developed in collaboration with other experts in the field of homelessness is providing a valuable baseline for care. We are delighted to share some of the research findings here and will add to the library of information as programmes of research reach their conclusion.

Research Engagement Network “I AM MORE THAN …” 2023-2025

HealthBus have been collaborating with community partners in Dorset to co-design flexible and inclusive approaches to public and community involvement in research, starting with people who are homeless and vulnerably housed. Published research papers below:

Critical Reflections From the I Am More Than… Project

Co-designing inclusive community involvement in research: reflections on the I Am More Than…

Linking Creativity & Homelessness to Raise Awareness, 2024

Arts University Bournemouth’s Postgraduate Summer Show 2024 featured an exceptional piece of work by postgraduate artist Jamie Yeates, blending abstract animation with social commentary on homelessness. As part of the summer show, which celebrates the achievements of graduating students and pushes the boundaries of artistic disciplines, Jamie’s piece stands out as a poignant example of art’s power to provoke thought and inspire change.

Portrait of Gail 

More coming soon!

Reports

Explore some recent reports and data sets on homelessness and health inequalities.

When we understand the realities of homelessness, we become better neighbours, better advocates, and a stronger community. Explore the resources below and discover how awareness leads to empathy – and empathy leads to action.

HealthBus Impact Report 2025-26

HealthBus continues to demonstrate the powerful impact of compassionate healthcare for people excluded from mainstream services. Through its trusted, integrated approach, HealthBus helps restore dignity, rebuild trust, and offer hope to people facing significant barriers. The team’s dedication delivers meaningful benefits for patients, the wider community, and the health system. See our latest impact report below

Voiceless, unheard and socially excluded: Accessing health and care while homeless or vulnerably housed

Healthwatch Dorset’s September 2024 report highlights how people experiencing homelessness or vulnerable housing in BCP face severe health inequalities and barriers to care, including stigma, lack of ID or address, digital exclusion, transport issues, poor mental health access and limited NHS dentistry. It calls for more flexible, integrated and accessible services.

Homelessness and the Language of Stigma

The Centre for Homelessness Impact supported work from academics from King’s College London to understand how language and its context can create and reinforce stigma associated with homelessness. This project looked at thousands of social media posts which expressed views about homelessness.

The Unhealthy State of Homelessness 2025

The Unhealthy State of Homelessness 2025 presents new findings from Homeless Health Needs Audits (HHNA) undertaken between 2022 and 2025. The data presented makes clear that the health of people experiencing homelessness has worsened, in particular physical health; and that many people are left to self-medicate for their mental health in the face of inadequate support. The findings highlight the vital role of health services in preventing homelessness, with a clear identified pattern of people experiencing ill health before becoming homeless.

GOV.UK Homelessness and rough sleeping

GOV.UK is the main official source for homelessness data in England, including H-CLIC live tables and local authority level figures.

Resources for learners

Use the linked resources to expand your knowledge of homelessness.

We can learn from the outstanding charities and organisations across the sector who are championing new knowledge, sharing insight, and strengthening understanding around homelessness. Through their commitment and support, we can all continue to grow, improve, and better serve those facing homelessness.

Centre for Homelessness Research and Practice (CHRP) Library

The Centre for Homelessness Research and Practice at the University of Southampton integrates research, training and practice to improve support for people experiencing homelessness. It works with services, researchers and people with lived experience to build evidence, evaluate practice, strengthen psychologically informed approaches, influence systems, and share learning across the homelessness sector. They partner closely with HealthBus.

Crisis Homelessness knowledge hub

Crisis is a leading source for knowledge on homelessness in the UK. Here you will find research about homelessness trends, the causes of homelessness and its impacts. Their research is categorised by topic. You can also browse or search.

Shelter Policy & Research

Shelter works across England to support people facing homelessness, unsafe housing, eviction, debt and poor housing conditions. It provides expert advice online, locally and through its emergency helpline, offers legal support where available, and campaigns for housing justice, renters’ rights, more social homes and long-term solutions to the housing emergency.

SHP Knowledge hub

Single Homeless Project (SHP) is a London-wide homelessness charity supporting more than 10,000 people each year. It helps people leave homelessness through safe accommodation, personalised support, health and wellbeing services, skills, employment pathways and prevention work, while also campaigning to change systems and amplify the voices of people with lived experience.

Homeless Link Knowledge hub

Homeless Link is the national membership charity for frontline homelessness services in England. It works to end homelessness by supporting organisations with guidance, training, research, data and policy insight. Homeless Link promotes best practice, strengthens services, influences national policy, and helps improve outcomes for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Centre for Homelessness Impact Publications

The Centre for Homelessness Impact champions better use of data and evidence to help end homelessness. It supports policymakers, commissioners and frontline organisations to understand what works, improve decision-making, test interventions, and build a stronger learning culture so homelessness can be prevented and made rare, brief and non-recurring.