People experiencing homelessness in Cardiff offered vital TB checks as part of major partnership event
Almost 100 people experiencing homelessness took up the offer of vital checks for tuberculosis (TB) and blood-borne viruses at two special clinics held in the heart of Cardiff.
University College London Hospitals (UCLH) brought their ‘Find and Treat’ mobile unit to the Huggard Centre in the morning of March 25, followed by a visit to Adams Court in the afternoon.
Working together, the UCLH team and specialist clinical teams from Cardiff and Vale University Health Board gave people the opportunity to have X-rays and blood tests to check for both active and latent TB, a serious but treatable bacterial infection.
People were also offered tests for the blood-borne viruses hepatitis B, C and HIV, alongside access to specialist health advice and support.
The successful partnership event was funded by Public Health Wales, involved clinicians from Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and was also supported by colleagues from Cardiff Council and the Huggard Centre.
Yvonne Hester, lead TB specialist nurse at Cardiff and Vale UHB, said: “TB is heavily influenced by social determinants of health, including poverty, malnutrition, poor living conditions and access to healthcare. Health behaviours such as smoking, drug and alcohol misuse, homelessness and incarceration can increase the risk of TB transmission.
“Poor experiences with healthcare can often mean people present late to clinicians, and when they do will have extensive TB disease and are often very unwell.
“This event was an excellent example of collaborative working to ensure optimum engagement from both service users and those working with them. It was an opportunity to continue to raise awareness of TB, highlighting the signs and symptoms and the risk factors associated with the condition.”
The event took place the day after World TB Day which aims to raise public and professional awareness around the condition which remains a serious public health concern.
A symposium was held by Public Health Wales at their headquarters on Tyndall Street which brought together healthcare professionals, policymakers, researchers and patients to share insights, discuss best practice and build a unified approach to TB elimination.
The Huggard Centre is a charity and Wales' leading centre for people who are homeless and sleeping rough in Cardiff. Adams Court is a supported housing scheme in Splott which provides homes for single homeless people and couples within self-contained apartments.