2017-04-11 P&E Agenda Attachment 1 to Item 1 Housing Needs Assessment

services provided to homeless and vulnerably housed people when they are discharged from
hospital. The pilot aims to reduce rates of potentially preventable hospital (re)admissions by
integrating housing and healthcare outcomes.

Micah Projects staff – through the Brisbane Homeless Service Collaborative (BHSC) and St
Vincent’s Private Hospital Brisbane nurses – worked with partnering hospital units across the
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospitals and Princess Alexandra Hospital to establish the Pathways
Pilot program. Pathways targets vulnerable populations who are homeless or vulnerably housed
with multiple and complex health and social support needs prior to discharge from hospital.

Funding from Queensland Health for $239,000 per annum plus a small amount of additional
resources from Micah Projects and the Mercy Sisters has allowed for the provision of 60 hours of
nursing care each week, two days of project and clinical management, and operating costs.

During the 12 month pilot period, 130 referrals to the project were received and of these, 88
people were supported longer-term. These 88 people had been homeless for an average of 2.24
years, 75% used drugs or alcohol, and a similar percentage identify as having a mental health
condition. In the 30 days prior to entry in the program, these 88 people on average had each
presented to the emergency department twice, had used ambulance services 1.5 times, and had
1.2 inpatient hospital visits. The pilot project found a clear financial incentive to working
proactively on health and housing issues, by reducing the number of more expensive ambulance
uses and hospital visits.

The Nightingale Model
The Movement

Nightingale Housing is a social enterprise that supports, promotes and advocates for adequate
housing that fosters environmental and social sustainability and strengthens communities.

By way of material reduction, it seeks to implement an ideology of simplicity. The movement
envisions an architecture governed by humanity and functionality - buildings that satisfy
fundamental needs complemented by the beauty of architectural delight.

Its principles are to:

    1.   Advance environmental sustainability through design (including sustainable transport
         options).

    2.   Design for social connection, connection to services and community management.

    3.   Contribute positively to neighbourhoods and urban culture through quality urban design.

    4.   Promote affordability by providing access to housing purchase at cost.

    5.   Minimise the on-going costs of living in the housing through design.

    6.   Educate designers, potential home owners and the public in deliberative development
         and sustainable housing models.

    7.   Collaborate with groups of purchasers in cooperative, syndicate or collective planning
         and participation.




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