NHS expands winter vaccinations for people experiencing homelessness

Thousands of homeless people across England will be offered free NHS vaccinations this winter as part of a new national programme to protect vulnerable people from serious illnesses

From this week, NHS teams and charity partners will provide flu and pneumococcal disease vaccinations to people sleeping rough, as well as those staying in homeless hostels and night shelters.

Vaccinations brought directly to people

To make the service easier to access, NHS teams will run pop-up clinics and mobile vaccination services in areas with high levels of homelessness.

One of these includes an NHS vaccination team joining a UK Health Security Agency outreach event at The Bridge Homeless Shelter in Leicester. Attendees can receive flu and other vaccinations, alongside mobile tuberculosis screening.

In Bournemouth, vaccination services will also be combined with other healthcare support, including cancer checks, podiatry and sexual health services.

People registered with a GP can also receive vaccinations through their GP practice or at participating community pharmacies.

The importance of the vaccine programme

People experiencing homelessness can face a bigger risk of winter illnesses because of exposure to cold weather, underlying health conditions, poor living conditions, poor nutrition and limited access to healthcare.

Respiratory infections such as flu and pneumonia can lead to serious illness and hospitalisation, making early vaccination particularly important during the winter months.

The new programme follows a government decision in June to accept advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to offer NHS flu and pneumococcal vaccinations to people experiencing homelessness.

Other groups eligible for vaccinations this winter include people aged 65 and over, adults in clinical risk groups, residents of long-stay care homes, eligible carers and close contacts of people with weakened immune systems.

Supporting people who are sleeping rough

The NHS is also providing specialist mental health services for people sleeping rough who have severe mental illness, including dedicated outreach teams in areas with high levels of homelessness.

The government has also announced £442 million in funding for councils as part of a national effort to help people sleeping rough find routes away from the streets this winter.

The vaccination programme aims to provide immediate protection while also reducing avoidable hospital admissions and pressure on NHS and emergency services during winter.

For people experiencing homelessness, NHS guidance confirms that proof of address is not required to register with a GP. A day centre, hostel or the GP practice itself can be used as an address when registering.