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Glasgow City Council describes homelessness as:

"The law states that you are homeless if you:

have no accommodation at all

have somewhere to stay but you cannot gain entry to it (for example, your landlord has changed the locks)

have somewhere to stay but you are being threatened with violence (for example, by neighbours, a former partner or family member)

have somewhere to stay but it is not reasonable to stay there because of overcrowding and this overcrowding is bad for your health

have somewhere to stay but its poor standard means it is not reasonable for you to stay there

have somewhere to stay but you do not have permission to stay there

are living in either B&B accommodation, a hotel, hostel or refuge

have been staying with family or friends but they have asked you to leave

usually live in a mobile home (for example, a caravan or boat) but there is nowhere for you to put it.

You are threatened with homelessness if you are likely to become homeless within two months."

https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=17283

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You are classed as disabled if you have a mental or physical impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal day to day activities. Long-term meaning 12 months or more and substantial meaning that it is more than just a minor thing.  (Equality Act 2010).
There is an estimate of over 20% of the UK population that almost 13 million people living disability (Disabled Living Foundation 2017). Disability becomes more prevalent with age with approximately 6% of children, 16% of working age adults and 45% of pensioners are classed as living with a disability.  People living with disabilities often fell like they have no control over their own life. (GOV UK)

People with disabilities often encounter many barriers to effective health care services this can include physical barriers such as access to healthcare buildings by means of unstable access and also skill barriers of health care professionals such as inadequate skills and knowledge of health workers.  (WHO 2018). Financial barriers can also be disincentive for people living with disabilities to try to access healthcare (BMJ 2017)

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In mental health services in Scotland, just over two thirds of children and young people were seen within 18 weeks of referral, and half started their treatment within 13 weeks (in 2017). Whilst this is an improvement on previous years (pre-2016), 33% were not seen within 18 weeks of referral, and a further 50% did not begin treatment within 13 weeks after initial consultation.  Furthermore, these waiting times are from date of referral, meaning there could be thousands from point of acute mental health crisis waiting for many weeks to be referred and then having to wait up to 18 weeks to be seen and treated. This is despite increased investment, increased staffing, and the ongoing improvement support programme funded by the Scottish Government (increase in funding from £929m to £937m). This is, in part, because of an increased demand for services. More people are coming forward for treatment, helped by decreased stigma and rising awareness of mental health in the population. (Mental Health Strategy: 2017-2027 1st Progress Report, Scot Gov)

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Sleeping on the streets is usually a last resort and leaves people vulnerable to crime, being attacked or having possessions stolen.

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Sleeping on the streets is usually a last resort and leaves people vulnerable to crime, being attacked or having possessions stolen.

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It also carries difficulties in having a healthy lifestyle, making mental health conditions worse, more difficulties managing addictions and also being exposed to the elements.
People sleeping on the streets have a right to register with a doctor however this may only be temporary for 3 months.

(Shelter Scotland, 2018

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Age UK 2015 states that:

"Over 1 million older people say they always or often feel lonely.

Nearly half (49%) of all people aged 75 and over live alone

Nearly half of older people (49% of 65+ UK) say that television or pets are their main form of company

Nearly 200,000 older people in the UK do not receive the help they need to get out of their house or flat

11% have less than monthly contact

Loneliness can be as harmful for our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day

People with a high degree of loneliness are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s as people with a low degree of loneliness"

Social isolalation and loneliness are not the same. it is possible for someone to be socially isolated but not lonely, and vice versus. There are reportedly high rates of loneliness in care homes, dispite an individual multiply daily interactions with both carers and other residents.

Cacioppo, 2008 states “…an individual may be lonely in a crowd, socially contented while alone.”

References

Davidson, S. & Rossall, P. 2015.  Evidence Review: Loneliness in Later Life. Age UK [online]. Veiwed 23rd November 2018. Available from https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/reports-and-publications/reports-and-briefings/health--wellbeing/rb_june15_lonelines_in_later_life_evidence_review.pdf
Cacioppo, J; Patrick, W (2008) Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection. New York: Norton

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Mental Health is one of the major public health challenges  in Scotland.  Nearly 1 in 3 people are estimated to be affected by mental illness in one year

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Mental Health is one of the major public health challenges  in Scotland.  Nearly 1 in 3 people are estimated to be affected by mental illness in one year

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However mental health is not evenly balanced across the population, socially deprived and disadvantaged individuals are at a higher risk of developing mental health conditions.

adults living in the most deprived areas are approximately twice as likely to have common mental health problems as those in the least deprived areas (22% versus 11%)

there were twice as many GP consultations for anxiety in areas of deprivation than in more affluent areas in Scotland (62 versus 28 consultations per 1000 patients in 2010-2011).

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Too many people in Scotland are becoming homeless because of the housing emergency.
Every 16 minutes a household becomes homeless in Scotland.
Homeless applications

In the year 2022/23 there were 39,006 homeless applications made to local authorities, of these 32,240 households were assessed as being homeless or threatened with homelessness.

The number of households that became homeless this year rose by 10% compared to the year before.

In 2022/23 there were 16,263 children in households that were assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness. This is 10% higher than last year and is the equivalent to 45 children in Scotland becoming homeless every day.

To prevent homelessness, we must fundamentally tackle Scotland's housing emergency and fix the broken and biased housing system. See our strategy to find out how we plan to achieve this.

Graph source: Homelessness in Scotland: 2022 to 2023 (www.gov.scot)

Temporary accommodation

People have the right to be housed in temporary accommodation whilst the local authority is making a decision on their homeless application, and until permanent accommodation is found if they are 'unintentionally' homeless.

The latest government statistics show that on   31 March 2023 there were 15,039 households living in temporary accommodation. The number of households in temporary accommodation in Scotland has risen sharply over the last few years and is now  46% higher than on 31 March 2014.

This graph shows the trend of households in temporary accommodation in Scotland over time, from 2014 to 2023. On 31 March 2014 there were 10,281 households living in temporary accommodation. This rose steadily to 11,665 households in March 2020. During the pandemic there was a sharp increase to 14,151 households on 30 September 2020. This number decreased slightly, however the most recent statistics show that the number of households in temporary accommodation is at the highest on record.

There are also increasing numbers of children stuck in temporary accommodation. The latest statistics show that on 31 March 2023 there were 9,595 children in Scotland living in temporary accommodation. This is the highest number on record, showing that the housing emergency is only getting worse.

Graph source: Homelessness in Scotland: 2022 to 2023 (www.gov.scot)

The graph shows the number of children living in temporary accommodation in Scotland over time, from 2014 to 2023. On the 31st of March 2014 there were 4,155 children in temporary accommodation. Despite a slight decrease in March 2021 after the height of the pandemic, the number of children living in temporary accommodation has continued to rise. It is now the highest on record, with 9,595 children living in temporary accommodation in March 2023.

Households with children tend to spend longer in temporary accommodation than households without children. In 2022/23 a couple with children in Scotland spent on average 347 days in temporary accommodation, whereas the average length of stay for all household types was 223 days.

The lack of affordable social homes in Scotland means there are not enough homes for people to move on from temporary accommodation. In particular, the lack of larger social homes means that households with children are stuck in temporary accommodation for long periods.

The most effective way to address the bottleneck in temporary accommodation is to deliver the social homes required, of the right types and in the right places. This should be a priority for the Scottish Government and local authorities.

From both our advice services and official statistics, we know that:

some people are not offered temporary accommodation when they are legally entitled to it, an experience known as 'gatekeeping'. In the year 2022/23 there were at least 445 instances when a household was not offered temporary accommodation by their local authority when they had the right to it

many individuals are not placed in temporary accommodation which meets their needs or the law. In 2022/23, there were 3,525 reported cases of households being placed in temporary accommodation which was deemed by law to be 'unsuitable'. However, the Scottish Government has said that reporting on this issue is unreliable and this figure is likely to be an undercount

This is unacceptable. People should be able to realise their rights to temporary accommodation. This means that accommodation is made available when required, that it meets the needs of the household and that it is of sufficiently good quality.

Local authorities must, at a bare minimum, deliver their statutory duties regarding temporary accommodation and be held to account for any breaches.

Graph source: Homelessness in Scotland: 2022 to 2023 (www.gov.scot)

Social housing supply

Only by delivering the social homes required can Scotland achieve the structural change needed to end the housing emergency by ensuring everyone has a secure, warm, and safe home.

The Scottish Government has committed to deliver 110,000 affordable homes over the next 10 years, at least 77,000 (70%) of which will be homes for social rent. By delivering a minimum of 38,500 social homes over the next five years where they are needed most, we can begin to reduce affordable housing need.
There are currently 110,000 households on local authority housing waiting lists across Scotland.
Source: Scottish Government (2023) Scottish Household Survey 2021

Affordable housing supply

The Affordable Housing Supply Programme statistics give us information on the supply of homes for social rent, affordable rent and affordable home ownership. We use these to see if the social homes needed are being delivered.

During the year 2022:

approvals for social rented homes have decreased by 21% (1,352 homes) when compared to 2021

starts for social rented homes have decreased by 19% (1,382 homes) when compared to 2021.

completions of social rented homes have increased by 18% when compared to 2021

Home is everything. We will not give up until the Scottish Government fulfils its promises to deliver the social homes Scotland needs.

Source: Housing statistics for Scotland quarterly update: March 2023 (www.gov.scot)

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Homelessness in Scotland - Shelter Scotland

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Too many people in Scotland are becoming homeless because of the housing emergency. In the year 2022/23 there were 39,006 homeless applications made to local authorities in Scotland. Of these, 32,240 households were assessed as being homeless or threatened with homelessness.

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Mind Charity has links and advice on where to go to for different mental health issues

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Helping someone with a mental health problem

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Find out how you can support someone you care about with a mental health problem. Our information also covers support for your own wellbeing.

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where to start accessing help from for mental health

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Direct and indirect discrimination act as a major barrier to ‘living well’. Service provision based on a recovery approach and actions to reduce stigma and discrimination will contribute to greater social inclusion.  Action to tackle these should be sufficiently long term and informed by evidence of effective strategies. It should be both delivered at a population level and targeted at groups of particular relevance to people with mental health problems. (Good mental health for all Strategy, 2016).

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Follow this link to find the Glasgow Health and social care partnership homelessness strategy 2015-2020

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Follow this link to find the Glasgow Health and social care partnership homelessness strategy 2015-2020

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https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=34784&p=0

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2016 BBC report

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Mental illness is one of the major health challenges in Scotland.

It is estimated that more than one in three people are affected by a mental health problem each year. The most common illnesses are depression and anxiety.

Only about 1-2% of the population have psychotic disorders. 1 in 3 GP appointments relates to a mental health problem.

Poverty a factor

The more deprived the area, the higher its rate of mental illness.

People living in the most deprived areas are more than three times as likely to spend time in hospital as a result of mental illness compared to people living in the least deprived areas.

The suicide rate is more than three times higher in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived areas.

Employment is good for mental health. Although most people with mental health problems are employed, generally people have better mental health when in employment than when jobless.

Men and women different

Twice as many women as men went to their GP because of depression or anxiety in 2010/11, but the suicide rate is three times higher for men than women.

Although equal numbers of men and women are hospitalised due to mental illness, men are more likely to be admitted with schizophrenia and conditions related to substance abuse.

Women are more likely to have mood disorders or a personality disorder.

Antidepressant use

About 1 in 8 of Scots (12%) take use an antidepressant every day.

The other main drugs for mental health are used by only 1-3% of the population.

Stigma decreasing

In 2009, 58% of people who had suffered a mental health problem had experienced stigma or discrimination at some point in the previous five years.

In 2007, it was 82%.

Scots happiest

People living in Scotland are happier than other parts of the UK.

According to the Office for National Statistics, people living in Scotland and Northern Ireland are the most "satisfied".

The local authority where the people gave the highest average score was Eilean Siar.

On average, the people in the Western Isles gave their life satisfaction a score of 8.41 out of 10.

Successive Scottish governments claimed mental health a top priority - but what is situation?

How much is spent?

This is hard to calculate because it is up to Scotland's health boards and councils to decide how much they spend, and it can be difficult to define.

However, some spending trends can be calculated:

Spending on community psychiatric care increased by 34% (taking account of inflation) between 2006/7 and 2012/13

Spending on clinical psychologists increased by 13% (taking account of inflation) between 2006/7 and 2012/13

Local authority spending fluctuated, then steadily increased, and has now plateaued.

Numbers rising

The number of people being treated for mental health issues is rising.

This does not appear to be because more people have mental illness, but because more people are accessing treatment as understanding grows and the stigma of mental illness reduces.

However, the ageing population has led to an increase in the number of people with dementia.

A new strategy for mental health is overdue. The last one ran out at the end of 2015.

More people are being treated at home. Since 1998 the number of people in psychiatric hospital has fallen by at least a third. This reflects the shift towards various forms of care in the community.

Long waits

Some people wait a long time for specialist care.

Last year, new targets came into force to reduce long waits to see a specialist, however the NHS has not been able to meet them.

81% of people saw a psychologist within 18 weeks, against a target of 90%. This figure has not changed much since recording began.

73% of children saw a specialist within 18 weeks, against a target of 90%. Children are waiting slightly longer than they did in 2014 and 2015.

However, the NHS only began recording information about mental health waiting times in 2012. Before then we don't know how long people were waiting.

Working in mental health

The number of professionals has risen slightly, but not in all areas.

The total number of staff working in psychiatry rose by 8% between 2002 and 2013.

There were increases in staff in general psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, old age psychiatry and learning disabilities.

The number of staff working in child and adolescent psychiatry, and psychotherapy have fallen.

Falling suicide rate

The number of suicides peaked between 1992 and 2002 but have been falling since then.

The most recent comparable figures for 2014 suggest the lowest number of suicides since 1977. However, in 2010, the Scottish suicide rate was much higher than in England and Wales.

For men it was 73% higher while for women it was almost double. Some of this difference may be due to the way statistics are gathered.

Sources:
Scottish Parliament SPICe briefing; ISD Scotland; Choose Life; Scottish Association for Mental Health.

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Mental illness is one of the major health challenges in Scotland. It is estimated that more than one in three people are affected by a mental health problem each year. The most common illnesses are depression and anxiety. Only about 1-2% of the population have psychotic disorders.

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"Gatekeeping" is the act of a homeless person trying to access assistance and being turned away and denied their legal right to support by the local authority.

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"Gatekeeping" is the act of a homeless person trying to access assistance and being turned away and denied their legal right to support by the local authority.

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(Shelter Scotland, 2018)

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Access to health care in Glasgow for people who are homeless:

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Access to health care in Glasgow for people who are homeless:

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If you are homeless or staying in temporary accommodation you can use the specialist Homelessness Health Services based at Hunter Street. These services will give support during your homelessness crisis and then help you move on to use community-based services when it is appropriate.

Our Homelessness Health & Resource Services run from a purpose built unit. With clinic and treatment rooms, it is a base for the Homeless GP Practice and many of the staff who support health services for homeless people.

Contact address:
Homelessness Health & Resource Services
55 Hunter Street
Glasgow G4 0UP
Phone 0141 553 2803

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People experiencing homelessness are known to have complex health needs, which are often compounded by poor access to healthcare. This study investigates the individual-level factors associated with access to care and healthcare utilization among homeless people in England.

Rough sleepers were much less likely to be registered with a general practitioner (GP)

In a survey of  2505 individuals participated in the survey.

The majority of participants were young (55.4% aged 35 years or younger) and male (69.2%). Most were single homeless in accommodation (76.9%).

Mental health problems were particularly common: 85.5% of participants reported having current mental health problems and 42.1% reported that they had been formally diagnosed with a mental health disorder.

Over the previous 6 months, 26% of participants had been refused registration with either a GP or a dental service.

Journal of public health, volume 39 issue 1, March 2017

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Groups experiencing higher prevalence of mental health problems:

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Groups experiencing higher prevalence of mental health problems:

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*Black, Asian and minority ethnic groups
*Refugees and asylum seekers
*Learning disability
*People with a physical health problem
*LGBT people
*Carers
*Domestic violence
*Homelessness
*Substance misuse

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Our research into mental health statistics would not be possible without your generous donations. Please consider donating today to enable us to continue to raise awareness about mental health.

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This section contains a selection of the key statistics on mental health. Would you like to know how rates of mental ill-health differ between men and women? Or what about statistics on the costs of diagnosed mental health problems in the UK? Browse this section to find out.

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This is a person who has left their home country to live in another state and seek protection from it. (Refugee council)

To apply for asylum in the UK the person should apply upon entering the country or if they feel it is unsafe to travel back to their home country due to fear or persecution. This may be for several reasons including race, religion and political opinion. (UK Government)

Terms (Refugee council)

·         A refugee if their claim is successful and they are able to live in the UK

·         An Asylum Seeker is a person who has submitted a claim to the government but has not yet had it accepted.

·         Refused asylum seeker is someone who has submitted a claim but it has been refused and they are to return to their own country however not everyone does this voluntarily and needs to be more forcefully removed.

Many are lead to believe many refugees live within Europe however for example one in six people in Lebanon is a refugee.  The UN’s Refugee Agency estimates that 85% of the world’s refugees are sheltered by developing countries.
It is estimated that there has been around 68000 people arrived into Europe by boat. The UK received an estimated 4% of the total asylum claims within Europe. (Refugee Council). In the first 6 months of 2018 there was only 29% of claims for asylum approved by the government, many people went through the courts and 38% of asylum seekers were successful in their claim.

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·         The displacement of people refers to the forced movement of people from their locality or their own environment and occupations.

·         It is a form of social change caused by  a range of factors ie armed conflict

·         Natural disasters, famine, development and economic changes may also be a cause of displacement

Political turbulence in many regions of the world has increased the number of displaced people fleeing complex emergencies and disasters. They often end up in large camps where environmental health measures are insufficient.

Displaced people include internally displaced people (people who remain in their own countries) as well as refugees (people who cross international borders).

Environmental Health in Emergencies [2018] Displaced People [online] World Health Organisation [viewed 23/11/2018] Available from; https://www.who.int/environmental_health_emergencies/displaced_people/en/

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation [2017] Displaced person/ Displacement [online] UNESCO [viewed 23/11/2018] Available from: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/social-and-human-sciences/themes/international-migration/glossary/displaced-person-displacement/

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Although often all brought together under the umbrella terms of ‘Gypsies & Travellers’ there is a huge range of unique cultures, belief systems and histories within these groups, including Romany Gypsies, Irish Travellers and Scottish Gypsy Travellers.

There is significant misunderstanding of these communities that is founded by long running myths and stereotypes. As a result, Traveller groups often are socially excluded or face marginalisation. Contemporary research suggests that Traveller groups have suffered the most discrimination and are the largest 'stateless' minority ethnic group within Europe.

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National Association of Teachers of Travellers +Other Professionals

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General information

The information in this section is from information published by the then Department of Children, Schools and Families in January 2010.

The content is Crown Copyright and may only be reproduced for non-commercial research, education or training purposes. NATT+ members can download this information in its original document form from the members' area.

The definition of individual Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities can be complex.

The reasons for this include:

Gypsy, Roma and Travellers are not one homogenous group;

the identity of Gypsy, Roma and Travellers is often an imposed view informed by the settled population built on myths and stereotypes.

The term Gypsy, Roma and Traveller is a collective term used to describe a wide variety of cultural and ethnic groups. There are many ways in which ethnicity may be established: these include language, nomadic way of life, and crucially, self-identification. Defining a person as a Gypsy, Roma or Traveller is a matter of self-ascription and does not exclude those who are living in houses. Ethnic identity is not lost when members of the communities settle, but it continues and adapts to the new circumstances.

This article provides schools with a brief background to the history and culture of each of these groups. However, while it is important to understand the background, history and culture of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities in order to appreciate more fully who the pupils are, it is simplistic to define them by this information alone. Like all pupils their identity is based on experiences and a wide range of influences, which may vary, not only, from the settled population but also from other people within the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities - terminology

A number of different groups are covered by the generic term Gypsy, Roma and Traveller: English and Welsh Gypsies, Irish and Scottish Travellers, showmen (fairground people) and circus people, bargees (occupational boat dwellers) and New Travellers. Most of these communities have a long tradition of a travelling lifestyle, although their history and customs vary.

The term Gypsy, Roma and Traveller is acceptable to most members of these groups but many English Gypsies prefer to be called Gypsies. However, Gypsy is a term that can be perceived as having negative connotations and is not acceptable to some. This is very much the case with families from Eastern and Central Europe and 'Roma' is the universally preferred term. Fairground people, who prefer to be called 'Showmen', have a separate traditional history that can be traced back to the Middle Ages when royal charters were granted for fairs and before this to the gatherings for trade in the Roman times.

Circus people have their own planned movement of travel and are fiercely proud of the family history associated with the traditional skills of the 'big top'. Circuses tend to be owned by a single family who may hire a range of acts; these may have a variety of international backgrounds.

Bargee is a term used more appropriately in Europe where working on the canals is still an industry, particularly in the Netherlands. In the UK there are very few recorded families living on the waterways and few who would describe themselves as bargees, preferring the term boat dwellers. There is reported evidence that there are a small number of families living on sea-going coastal boats, which travel between small harbours and ports on the south coast during the summer months.

A large percentage of the total population of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities live in houses; they do not lose their ethnicity when they move into houses. Others live on local authority or privately owned caravan sites or are resident on their own plot of land. Approximately one-fifth of the non-housed Gypsy, Roma and Traveller population have no secure place to stay, and move between unauthorised encampments.

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Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Communities - National Association of Teachers of Travellers +Other Professionals

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General information The information in this section is from information published by the then Department of Children, Schools and Families in January 2010. The content is Crown Copyright and may only be reproduced for non-commercial research, education or training purposes.

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The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 15% of any population will be persons with disabilities, with potentially higher proportions among populations that have fled war, persecution or natural disaster. Hence, there may be over six million persons with disabilities displaced worldwide. (Forced Migration review, www.fmreview.org/25th-anniversary/pearce).

“Persons with disabilities are often hidden in communities and may not have access to the same assistance programmes as others, as a result of stigma and discrimination or physical barriers.”

Area that contribute to the vulnerability consist of:

·         Persons’ with disabilities have diverse impairments, skills and capacities, which intersect with equally diverse contextual situations and societal attitudes, resulting in varying degrees of vulnerability and marginalisation, making one single approach to meeting their needs unfeasible.

·         Displaced persons with disabilities may be more vulnerable than other community members.

·         Skills and capacity of persons with disabilities remain one of the greatest overlooked resources in humanitarian practice.

·         Language Barriers

·         Knowledge of resources such as healthcare, support, housing and work may lead to hopelessness and giving up resulting in poor health due to internal and external factors.

·         Stigma of being different may lead to becoming scared of others Judging the.

·         Being in a new country and different setting may lead to depression, sense of “no worth”.

·        Being alone with no support from others may lead to mental Health issues.

“Displaced persons suffer significantly higher rates of mortality than the general population. They also remain at high risk of physical attack, sexual assault and abduction, and frequently are deprived of adequate shelter, food and health services.”
(United Nations Human Rights, office of high commissioners, www.ohchr.org/en/issues/idpersons/pages/issues.aspx)

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Vulnerability, Frailty, Physical disabilities and impairment are frequently associated with deterioration in health and well being in later life.
Frailty: This is thought of by the majority of the population as a individual who is delicate, fragile, weak, infirm and feeble individual. Instead of what it is intended to be in a holistic assessment of an individual, relating to declines in multiple body systems as a result of impairment in physical, cognitive and psychological functions resulting in the reduction to be able to carry out daily tasks.
Society: As a whole is said to be designed largely around the younger fitter population.
It is suggested that communities of frail and non frail older individuals is a tool within society as a means to control access to resources thus having a detrimental affect to the health of older people.

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www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/publication/2018/06/homelessness-scotland-2017-18/documents/00536991-pdf/00536991-pdf/govscot%3Adocument

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Key facts

Scotland's suicide rate has decreased over the past decade, but on average, two people will die by suicide every day – that’s still too many.

Scotland has the highest suicide rate in the UK after Northern Ireland.

There has been no substantial reduction in the suicide rate over the past four years.

Ministers no longer provide guidance to local authorities on spending money on suicide prevention, and several areas have reduced their funding.

Not only is the amount of money spent on suicide prevention across Scotland unclear, work is patchy and inconsistent.

People living in the most deprived areas are two and a half times more likely to die by suicide than people living in the most affluent areas.

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Suicide: two lives lost in Scotland each day is a tragedy

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Suicide claims two lives each day in Scotland. It's an injustice that families bereaved by suicide are left to cope on their own.

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Young people continue to be judged on academic performance with much less regard for their mental health and wellbeing, and the nurturing and development of their emotional intelligence.

Literacy, numeracy and other academic achievements are still seen as the key markers of success, yet young people are facing unprecedented pressures in their lives, which are contributing to mental health problems including anxiety, depression, self-harm and eating disorders.

With more and more young people struggling to cope with their mental health, now is the time to put emotional wellbeing at the heart of what children learn in schools.

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Asylum seekers can be vulnerable for a number of reasons, other than arriving from a different culture, with possible language barriers, they may have little knowledge about their rights within the new country, have physical and mental health issues caused by previous experiences (e.g. Torture).

Healthcare workers, particularly “frontline” staff such as ambulance staff who may be more likely to have contact with asylum seekers and other vulnerable groups should be alert to vulnerability and potential physical and mental health problems in those who are vulnerable.

“Many UK general practices struggle to manage the rights and needs of refugees and asylum seekers to access the NHS, and may be unwilling to register them as patients because of confusion about the need for identification papers and other documentation”  Royal College of Practitioners

http://www.rcgp.org.uk/policy/rcgp-policy-areas/asylum-seekers-and-vulnerable-migrants.aspx

“The majority of asylum seekers live in poverty and suffer from poor health and hunger.” Gherson Immigration

https://www.gherson.com/blog/vulnerable-asylum-seekers

Most asylum seekers spend months, or years waiting for Home office to assess claims and cannot work during this time, having an allowance of £35 – £37 per week

“Certain groups of migrants are particularly vulnerable to potential health needs because of their experiences either before, during or after migration.” Gov. UK

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vulnerable-migrants-migrant-health-guide

Some useful agencies/charities may include

The Refugee Council works directly with refugees and asylum seekers and supporting them to rebuild their lives.

The Children’s Society Refugee Toolkit informs practitioners about the needs, rights and entitlements of refugee and asylum seeker young carers and their families.

The Bridges Programmes support the social, educational and economic integration of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants living in Glasgow, Scotland.

Asylum Aid gives free legal advice and represents the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people seeking asylum in the UK with their asylum applications.

Doctors of the World offers free and confidential support to vulnerable migrants, whatever their immigration status and wherever they live in the UK. Their drop-in clinic is based in East London.

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The availability of psychiatry beds in Scotland is vastly smaller compared to demand.  Over the years, staffing levels have dropped (many causes, particularly Brexit) have limited the growth of beds whilst demand excels.  In Scotland, between 2001 and 2011 the number of staffed beds for Forensic Psychiatry has increased from 137 to 254.  In adolescent psychiatry (arguably the group of patients with the highest demand), there were 44 beds in 2011. For General Psychiatry (mental illness) and Psychiatry of Old Age, there has been a steady decrease over time of bed availability. The decrease was greatest for Psychiatry of Old Age falling from 3,992 beds in 2001 to 2,530 in 2011. Anecdotally, from being out on placement in a deprived area, whenever a patient needed a bed for mental illness, there wasn't one, and they had to wait in A&E, usually under the supervision from the police. The local mental health hospital, Dykebar, was full, and in the process of having its wards closed and downsized.

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A significant barrier to accessing healthcare for homeless people is not attending or having access to a general practice. A review of three in-depth studies of single homelessness found that 60% of rough sleepers had had no contact with a GP for more than five years (Crane and Warnes 2001).

Homeless Link (2014) found 7% of participants in their study had been refused access to a GP in the previous 12 months. One reason for this was not having identification, despite there being no regulatory requirement for someone to prove identity, address, immigration status or NHS number to register with a GP

In addition, Homeless Link (2014) found that 90% of homeless people were registered with GPs. However, participants still reported not receiving help with their health problems. It might be that they found it difficult to engage with formal services

evidence & practice / interprofessional working, 26 January 2018

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Loneliness in Older Adults effects mental and physical Health.. 

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Loneliness in Older Adults effects mental and physical Health.. 

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24% of adults aged 65+ feel depressed and 16% feel anxious as a result of loneliness.

Nearly a third of older adults feel that they ought to be able to cope with loneliness by themselves.

15% of older adults see spending time on social media as improving their mental health.

However nearly 20% of older adults see technology as replacing face to face contact and so actually causing loneliness.

6% of older Scots will spend Christmas alone (up by 50% from 2015 figures).

1 in 5 keep the TV on most of the day because “It’s lovely to hear human voices” while 8 % say it’s their main source of company over the festive period.

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Loneliness: the public health challenge of our time

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A policy briefing by the Mental Health Foundation and Age Scotland outlining the scale of the problem and 12 key policy recommendations to challenge it.

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The 65+ year old population are evidently a vulnerable group with regards to fraud and financial abuse.  It is the second highest form of mistreatment, neglect being first, with the risks of being a victim increasing as the person gets older (Biggs et al, 2009). With a quantitative survey of 27,000 people, the charitable organisation Victim Support reiterated these findings.  Reporting that of this number 24.9% were 65+ years old
(Victim Support, 2017).

BIGGS, S., MANTHORPE, J., TINKER, A., DOYLE, M. & ERENS, B., (2009) Mistreatment of older people in the United Kingdom: Findings from the first national prevalence study.  Journal of Elder Abuse & Neglect. 21(1) pp.1-14

VICTIM SUPPORT, 2017. Victim support policy statement - fraud. Victim Support.  Avaliable from: https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/more-us/policy-and-research/reports

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Unfortunately these communities face inadequate services provision made difficult by no fixed address, role of the family, cultural barriers and racism (https://www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default/files/20160505%20CQC_EOLC_Gypsies_FINAL_2.pdf)

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Heart breaking statistics. Highlighted by the recent advert from Age UK " no one should have no one" Focusing on loneliness of the elderly at Christmas. I feel campaigns like this should run throughout the whole year.

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Those who are seeking asylum are vulnerable in a number of ways.
Most are living in poverty and experience poor health and hunger. The Refuge Council (2018) state that many families are not able to pay for the basics such as clothing and essentials for their children such as powdered milk and nappies.

Its also important to note that many refused asylum seekers are too scared to report incidents of sexual harassment and assaults, in case they are detained or deported (Refugee Action, 2006).

Refugee Action, 2006. Report on destitute Asylum seekers [Accessed 28th November 2018] Available from: http://www.refugee-action.org.uk/campaigns/documents/RA_DestReport_Final_LR.pdf

The Refugee Council, 2018. The facts about asylum [Accessed 28th November 2018] Available from: https://www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/policy_research/the_truth_about_asylum/facts_about_asylum_-_page_1