Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the availability of step down support in London for homeless people being discharged from hospital care.

Local systems are expected to undertake capacity and demand planning exercises for all intermediate care services, including step-down support.

We are working to ensure that people at risk of, or experiencing homelessness have a place to stay, and the right care and support to recover their health and wellbeing after leaving hospital. In January 2024 the Department published guidance on discharging people at risk of, or experiencing homelessness, to support staff involved in planning safe and supportive discharge of these patients from hospital. Furthermore, between 2020 and 2022, the Department delivered £16 million to 17 local sites, including in London, to pilot Out of Hospital Care Models to people experiencing homelessness following a hospital stay. The Department’s guidance on discharging people at risk of, or experiencing homelessness, is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/discharging-people-at-risk-of-or-experiencing-homelessness/discharging-people-at-risk-of-or-experiencing-homelessness