Annual Report 2023 The Plymouth Alliance
Table of Contents
Thisreportcoverstheworkofmembersofthe PlymouthComplexNeedsAlliancefromApril2022to March2023 Theserviceprovisionnotedwastotallyor partlyfundedbytheAllianceaspartofitscontractwith PlymouthCityCouncil,allworkingtogethertoaddress theneedsoflocalpeopleintermsofhomelessness, substanceuseandrelatedissues.
TheYearinNumbers
Path
LivewellSouthwest
Shekinah
HamoazeHouse Harbour
BCHA
TheZone
Subcontractors
The Year in Numbers briefintervention treatmentsoffered byHarbour householdsweresupported byPathtoaccessprivately rentedaccommodation Naloxonekitshave beenprovidedacross thecity adultsarecurrently attending Hamoaze House 91 149 775 109 customersaccessedthe nightshelterat HamoazeHouse 127 newstaffmemberswere recruitedtotheLivewell Southwest ComplexNeeds Team customerswere supportedbytheBCHA outreachteam 4 68 familymembersare attendingtheAffected OthersGroup 66 and unitsofaccommodation arecurrently available withBCHAincluding 231 familyunits 27
The
in
serviceusersresidingat DevonportHouseduring thelast12months 112 peoplehavebeen supportedby Shekinah'straining team 118 learnershaveachieved accredited qualifications 111 customershavebeen supportedbytwoBCHA B&Bworkers 127 peopleroughsleeping receivedongoing supportfromthePath MARSteam 75 467 customershavehad structuredtreatment plansatHarbour 1646 syringeshavebeenprovidedacrossthecity 253,984 customershave beensupported bytheBCHA hospital dischargeservice 233 individualletshavebeen accommodatedbyBCHA overthelastyear
Year
Numbers
Path
HOUSING ADVICE AND SUPPORT
TheHousingInformation,Signpostingand SupportService(HISS)providessupportto singlepeopleinPlymouthwhoare vulnerabletohomelessness,especially peoplewithcomplexneedssuchashealth issuesandoffendinghistories.
RuninpartnershipwithBCHA,HISS supportismorethanjusthelptokeepor gainhousing,itincludesanunderstanding thathousingisvitalforpeopletobesafe andwell;andalsothatbeingsafeandwell isvitalforpeoplelivingindependently. Thesupportthereforetendstobe providedbystaffmembersworkingoneto onewiththeperson,lookingnotjustat howtheykeeporsecuretheirhome (income,budgeting,advocacy, furniture/furnishings,bills,responsibilities andrightsetc)butmotivationalworktoo; howtheyspendtheirtime,whatthey aspiretoandtheirhealthandtheirsocial links.
Outcomes
357peoplewereopentoaPathHousing Supportcaseworkerduringtheyear. Ofthosethatwere‘closed’(completed workingwith)189cases:
61peopleweregivenadviceand/or signpostedtootherservicesasmain outcome.
13securedaPrivateRentedTenancy andweresupportedtomaintainit.
21SecuredaSocialHousingTenancyand weresupportedtomaintainit
9wereassistedtomaintain/savetheir currenttenancy
13securedsupportedaccommodation
19securedtemporaryaccommodation 3weresupportedintoalongstaycare homes/hospice
ROUGH SLEEPER TEAM
TheRoughSleeperTeam(RST)workstoreduce andpreventroughsleepingacrossthecityin partnershipwithotherhousingandsupport providers Theteamdeliversearlymorning outreachsessions,locatingandengagingwith thosesleepingonthestreet.RSTaimstocreate opportunitiesforsustainedchangeandpositive outcomesforroughsleepers.
In2022/23Path'sRSTevidenced385people sleepingroughinPlymouth,anincreaseof 14.5%onthepreviousyear.
310Male
75Female
219localconnectiontoPlymouth
TheMARS(MultiAgencyRoughSleeper)teamis theintensivesupportpartoftheRoughSleeper Team.
In2022/2023
75roughsleepersreceivedongoingsupport 25weresupportedintoaccommodation
PRIVATE RENTED ACCESS SERVICE (PRAS)
PRASaimstoassistthosewhoare vulnerabletohomelessness,suchasliving intemporaryaccommodation,toaccess accommodationintheprivatesector. Thosereferredwillhavehadan appointmentwhereadvicewouldbegiven, anassessmentdonethinkingabout suitabilityandaffordabilityofrented accommodationandadiscussionabout renting
Move-ins
Path'sbiggestchallengeremainsalow supplyofavailablerentalpropertiesand anincreaseinrents(withnocorresponding increaseinLocalHousingAllowance).
However,Pathhavestillbeenabletoassist 149householdstoaccessprivatelyrented accommodationovertheyear,including 25peopleonprobationand26young people
ADVICE LINE CALLS
Theadvicephonelinecontinuestoprove extremelypopularwithclientsandalso professionalslookingforhousingadvice, enablingpeopletogetimmediateadvice and/orreferralstootherPathservicesand agencies.Theadvicelineisavailable4days aweek
844peoplecontactedtheadviceline andweregivenimmediatehousing advice.
126ofthesecallerswereofferedacase worker.
EXTRAS
Pathhavesecuredatleast£130,000 fromvariousfundstowardsdeposits, rentinadvance,arrears,furnitureor otherrelatedcostsofmoving.
Theysendaweekly/fortnightly ‘bulletin’toabout300staffworkingin serviceslocatedmostlyinPlymouth Pathhaveprovided‘tenancytraining’ coveringsecurityoftenureand securingaccommodationintheprivate sectortoabout100stafffromaround 30differentorganisationsacross Plymouth,DevonandCornwall.
Livewell Southwest
ThelastyearhasseenanumberofchangesfortheLivewellteamsatHarbour,withanincreaseinstaffing andservicedevelopments
TheComplexNeedsTeamandtheHealthInclusionPathwayPlymouth(HIPP)teamhavemetwith GeorgeHouse,ShekinahandDevonporthousetoreviewthedropinclinics Theydiscussedhowto developclinicstomeettheneedsofclientsaccessingmentalhealthandphysicalhealthclinics, adaptingservicestomeetthedemand.Theseclinicscurrentlyseeupto18clientsaweek.
Therehasbeensuccessfulrecruitmentof4newstaffmemberstotheComplexNeedsTeam,offeringsupport toclientswithco-existingmentalhealthandsubstancemisuseissues.
Therehasbeendevelopmentofphysicalhealthclinics-offeringbloodtesting,ECGmonitoring,BPchecksand adviceonphysicalhealthmanagement.Byprovidingthisserviceinhouse,Livewellcanincreaseprescriptions whererequiredinapromptmanner.
WeeklyMDT’swiththeGeorgeHouseandDevonportHouse,workingalongsideHarbourandtheHIPP teamtoofferweeklymeetingsforhostelstodiscussanyclientspresentingashighrisktooffer interventionandsupporttoreducelikelihoodofeviction
HealthInclusionPathwayPlymouth(HIPP)–LivewellhaveworkedinconjunctionwithAdelaideStreet SurgerytorecruitstafffortheHIPPteam,theyworkcloselywiththeservicetosupportourhomeless community.
TheRapidAccesstoTreatment(RAP)processenablesclientstoaccessopiatesubstitutetreatmentsina promptmanner,preventinglongwaitstostartprescriptionsandreducingfurtherriskofharm.Thisproject hasbeensuccessful,resultinginclientsbeingabletoaccessaprescribingassessmentwithin2weeksand commencetreatmentonthesameday CurrentlyLivewellareprescribingfor750clientsacrossthecity
Buvidalisalong-actingdepotinjectionformofBuprenorphine,whichcanbegivenmonthlywithmonitoring andsupport.TogetherwithHarbour,Livewellhavebeensuccessfulatofferingthistoasmallgroupofclients, withaplantoofferthisservicetoawidergroupoverthenextyear.
Overthenextyear,thereareplanstoexpandservices,throughstaffrecruitment,outreachprescribingclinics, andworkingalongsidewomen’sservices.
Shekinah
Fromthe1stJune2022–31stMay2023, Shekinah’sTrainingTeamhavesupported 118peopletotakepartinarangeof PersonalDevelopment/Vocationalcourses underthePlymouthCityCouncilAdult SkillsBudgetcontract,with111learners achievingaccreditedqualifications.
Thisyear,Shekinahhasbeentakingtheir trainingoutofhousetootherPlymouth andAllianceorganisationsinthehopeof reachingmorepeoplethatcouldbenefit. TheyhavedeliveredtrainingatHamoaze Housewhichwaswellreceived,bythe peoplethatusetheirservicesandhave moreplannedinforthecomingyear.
ShekinahhaveworkedcloselywithThe SalvationArmytocreateacarpentry coursewhichisrunoutoftheirworkshop,
andthishasbeenwellreceivedbylearners rangingfromexservicepersonnelto residentsoftheSalvationArmyitself
Shekinaharecurrentlydelivering MentoringL2trainingtoallthenewPeer MentorResearchersthatweretakenonby ChangingFuturesattheirrequest
Theyhaverecentlymadestrongerlinks withtheNHSandLivewellSouthwest, throughdirectcontactwithOccupational TherapistsontheHealthInclusion PathwayPlymouth(HIPP)andthe OffenderPersonalityPathway(OPP) Plymouth,CornwallandIslesofSilly. Shekinaharerunningamonthlyworkshop forOPPclientsonvarioustopicsas requestedbythem.
Hamoaze House
HamoazeHousecurrentlyhas109adultsattendingand 66familymembersattendingtheAffectedOthersGroup. TheAlliancehaspromotedandinstigatedmuchcloser partnershipworkingacrossservices.
Hamoazestaffreportthatitisfareasiertoget informationasaresultofthis.Therealsoseemstobeless duplicationanditseemsfromtheworkforceatHamoaze thattheyfeelpartnersaremuchmoreawareoftheirpart androleinaperson’sjourney
Thereappearstobelesscompetitionbetweenagencies. Therealsoseemstobea“smoother”journeyforclientsand clientsthathavebeeninthesystemawhilehavebeen reportingtostaffatHamoazethattheyhavenoticeda differenceinthespeedoftheservicethattheyarereceiving.
ItwasnotedthatcitywideinPlymouth,partneragenciesare beginningtoprovideacomplete“wraparound”serviceto thoseinneed.Thereisagreaterandimproved understandingofwhatotherservicesprovideandtheyalso havereportedagreaterunderstandingoftheservicesthat theAllianceprovides.
Thereisgreaterandincreasingexperienceofskillsand knowledgelearningfromeachotherthroughshared trainingopportunities.
TheonlyhighlightfromstaffatHamoazeisthattheywouldrecommendthatstaffthatarenew totheAlliancewouldbenefitfrommorefamiliarisationwiththeAllianceandother organisationsaboutpartnershipworking Theyaresayingthe“oldhands”areuptospeedbutit islesseasyfornewpeople.Oneofthesuggestionsthatstaffaremakingisforstafftoshadowor swaproleswithcolleaguesinotherpartnershipsfornotjustamorningoranafternoonfora minimumofoneweektoproperlyunderstandnotjustpoliciesandproceduresbuttheethos andspiritinwhichthatorganisationdeliversitsservicesandalsotofurtherdevelopmeaningful relationshipswiththosestaffworkingoutofthoseservices ArewebetterfortheAlliance?Hamoazesaysyes!
Harbour
Inthelastyear,HarbourhasopenedNeedleSyringeProgrammes(NSP)inBCHAGeorgeHouse, SomewhereSafetoStayandPrimrose.Theyhaveestablished4mobileNSPs,oneofwhichis placedpermanentlywithTreviSPARKS
HarbourhavesuccessfullymanagedaSaferStreets4projectincollaborationinitiallywithTrevi andthenwithImprovingLivesPlymouth,lookingatharmreductionandintroducingconsumer ledspiketestkitsanddrinklids.
Naloxonedistributionintheemergencydepartmenthasbeenintroducedandondischarge fromUniversityHospitalsPlymouth(UHP),makingUHPoneofjustfourhospitalsnationallyto offerthisservice;establishingaSubstanceMisuseSteeringGroupwithUHPandwithlinksto iHOSTresearchproject.
AsuccessfulpilotofacrackpipeexchangeschemeinPlymouthwasstartedandHarbouris planningtolaunchtheexchangeschemeinJuly2023 Plymouthisoneofthefirstcitiesinthe countrytoofficiallylaunchthisscheme.HarbourisworkingwithresearchersfromtheLondon SchoolHygieneandTropicalMedicine(LSHTM)
Whilethenumberofdeathsinservicehaveincreased,Harbourhavebeenabletoreducethe numberofdrugrelateddeathsinPlymouthby6.Thisbucksthenationaltrendandthismustbe celebratedasitcouldn'thavebeendonewithoutthecityworkingtogethertoimprovethelives ofpeoplewhoaccessservicesacrossPlymouth
HarbourDataApril2022-March2023
BCHA
Between22/23,BCHAletout467units,housingindividuals, couplesandfamilies.
TwoBCHAB&Bworkerssupported127people
BCHAoutreachteamsupported68customers.
PEOPLEUSINGSERVICES UNITSOFACCOMMODATION
Thehospitaldischargeservicesupported233customers,the teamhaveworkedhardtoreducethenumberofdelayed discharges,reducebeddaysandensurethatcustomershave appropriateaccommodationwhenleavinghospital. Currently,BCHAhasa231unitsavailable,whichincludes27 familyunits.
IncollaborationwithHousingOptions,BCHAhasdevelopeda newdeliverymodeltobetterutiliseholidaylet accommodation.
ThroughprovisionofadedicatedFamiliesteam,BCHAhas developedthesupportavailabletofamilies.Aninvestmentof £2.5millionhasprovidedadditionalfamilytemporary accommodation.Co-locatedHousingOptionsstaffdeliver supportwiththefamiliesteam.
NIGHTSHELTER
Intotal127customersaccessedthenightshelteratHamoaze House 115customersweremovedonsuccessfullytothefollowing accommodations:
2securedprivaterentedaccommodation
2Oasis
2Restart
53intoAllianceaccommodation
25B&Bplacements
7travelledbacktotheirareaorcountry
8returnedtotheiraccommodation
12movedtofamilyandfriends
16other
Duetotheadditionalsupportprovidedthisyeartherewerefewer customersdeclinedfromtheprovisionandmanymoresuccessful outcomes.
127 467 68
peoplesupportedby twoBCHAB&Bworkers individuallets 2022-2023 customerssupportedby theBCHAoutreachteam
WORKINGINPARTNERSHIP
Co-locatedcolleaguesfromHarbour,deliverdrugand alcoholsupportandevents,withinGeorgeHouse.
Bi-weeklydoctor'sclinicatGeorgeHouse,plusco-located nurses,andsupportfromHarbourComplexNeedsTeam.
Theneedleexchangehasbeenintroducedacrossalltemp 24/7supportedaccommodation.BCHAhaveseena reductioninthenumberofambulancecallouts,theuseof naloxoneandtheuseofthedefibrillator
PlymouthDomesticAbuseService(PDAS)andSparkteam aredeliveringwomen'sgroupsatGeorgeHouseand Primrose(femaleonlysupportedtempaccommodation).
Co-locatedHousingOptionscolleagueswithBCHAfamily supportteam.
Continuedoversightanddevelopmentofsupported accommodationplacementsthroughA2A,expandingthis toincludeexemptaccommodationprovidersintheCity.
OTHERINITIATIVES
Developmentandexpansionoffemaleonlyprovision across2properties,supporting9femaleswhoarefleeing domesticviolence.
Themoveoncafesdeliveredtosupportresidentstomove onintopermanentaccommodation
PeerledsupportcaféatGeorgeHouse.
Developmentofworkaroundqualityofaccommodation offeredwithinBCHAandpromotingpsychologically informedenvironmentsandtraumainformedspaces.This hasincludedreviewingthequalityassessmentprocessfor exemptaccommodationproviders.
ADDITIONALFUNDING
HelpedsecureadditionalGovernmentfundingfromRough SleeperInitiativeAwards(RSI)
Smallergrantawardshavebeenbroughtintothecityvia BCHAapplications.
231
unitsofaccommodation available
27
familyunitsof accommodation currentlyavailable
115
127 customersaccessedthe nightshelterat HamoazeHouse customersweremoved onsuccessfully
The Zone (ZAP)
APRIL2022–MARCH2023
Duringthisperiodtheserviceworkedwithaminimumof60differentyoungpeopleatanyonetime andhadcapacitytoprovideaminimumof96hrsofdirectsupportaweeksplitbetween:
thoseoncaseloadforprovisionoffloatingsupportortenancysupport. supporttothoseincrisispresentingviadrop-inwithnoappointment. provisionofadvice/guidanceandthoseaged16/17yrsreferredforindependentadvocacy
ACTIVITY
Totalof565differentyoungpeopleseenofwhich36%weremale/57%female/5%other/2%not stated
Thisrepresentsa160%increaseinattendance/visitsbyYPtoZAPfromthepreceding18months 20%wereagedunder18yrsand80%aged18yrs-25yrs 526peoplepresentedviadrop-inresultingin4,197separatecontacts. Averageofbetween48-66onZAPcaseloadwithcontactstotalling2,402hrs 201externalenquiriesfromotherprovidersrequestingspecialistsupport. Between02/04/2022-23/03/2023therewere65differentyoungpeopleaged16-17yrsreferredto theserviceforindependentadviceand/oradvocacy.
OUTCOMES
YoungpeoplesupportedbyZAPtoachievetargetsgoalsthattheyhadidentified.Asampleofsomeof theoutcomesachievedbyyoungpeoplesupportedbytheteam:
89%werehelpedtomaximisetheirincomeincludingreceiptofthecorrectwelfare.
70%werehelpedtoreducetheiroveralldebtwithanaverageof2youngpeopleamonthreferred toHSBCinsupportofthemopeningabankaccount
75%weresupportedintopaidwork.
100%werehelpedtobettermanagetheirphysicalhealth.
70%werehelpedtobettermanagetheirmentalhealth.
100%whoavoidedharmtoothers.
78%werehelpedtobettermanagetheirsubstancemisuse.
87%werehelpedtomaintaintheiraccommodation. 90%secured/obtainedsettledaccommodation
Withregardtothetypeofaccommodationyoungpeoplemovedinto:
34%SupportedHousing
25%ReturntoFamilyHome/otherFamilyMemberHome
13%HousingAssociation
13%PrivateSector
9%LocalAuthority
6%TemporaryAccommodation
Subcontractors
WESTWARDHOUSING
Westwardprovidedsupportto
7 17
familieshavebeensupportedtosuccessfully moveontopermanentaccommodationin22/23.
LIVEWEST
77
youngpeoplewereaccommodated duringtheyear(excluding AdvantagePoint).
youngpeoplewereaccommodated atAdvantagePoint 27 plannedmoveonrateof thosethatmovedout.
97% CCHOUSING
TheSalvationArmyworkscloselywithTheAlliance andgetsdrop-inservicesfromHarbour,Complex NeedsTeam,HIPP,SPARK,PEDAS,PathandHep-C Trust
THESALVATIONARMY bedsat DevonportHouse 60
Providedtemporaryaccommodationand personalisedneedsledsupporttoYoungPeople(YP) facinghomelessness
Developedthecapacityofvulnerableyoungpeople toenablethemtoliveaspartofafamily(eitherown orhost),orindependently.
ProvidedappropriateenvironmentsforYP (particularly16/17yearolds)tohavetheirsupport needsassessedwhilstthewidersystemengagedwith themtofacilitateareturnhomeifandwhen appropriate.
Flexiblyprovidedservicestoenableyoungpeopleto movebetweensupportedhousingserviceswhen requiringanincreaseordecreaseinneedsled targetedsupport.
Bepartofanintegratedsystemwithasinglepointof accessintosupportedaccommodationforYPand moveonintotenanciesorareturnhomewhere appropriate
Providesaccommodationandsupportto28
peoplewithcomplexneedsatatime.
YOUNGDEVON
singleparentswithonechildunder3.
Together We Can
EverymemberofThePlymouthAlliance providesservicesfundedviatheAlliance contractandalsoothersfunded separately.
Equally,therearepartnerships,services andoutcomesthatarenotnotedherebut whicharereallyimportantforpeople usingservices.
Alliancemembersdon’tjustworkwith eachotherbutwithCommunity ConnectionsattheCouncil,withGPsand pharmacies,withPlymouthSoupRunand manyothers.Allofthoserelationshipsand endeavoursmatter,whethercoveredhere ornot.
Wearegratefulforallofthose partnerships,allofthatwork.
Supportforpeople:the righthelp,therightplace, therighttime
ThePlymouthAlliance www.theplymouthalliance.co.uk