Disability and homelessness in Central and Northern Scotland

The Scottish Executive has formulated national health policy targets to reduce inequities in health status and health care access. In the recent report ‘Delivering for Health’3 published by the Scottish Executive in 2005 key action points were formulated to reduce inequalities in health and service access through among other elements the development of ‘anticipatory care’, care delivery to disadvantaged communities, and supported self care opportunities. Similar public policy priorities have been assigned to providing better support for individuals and families who are threatened by homelessness or without a fixed abode. A Homelessness Task Force (HTF) created in 1999 was instrumental in influencing the 2002 Housing Act that requires local authorities to provide permanent accommodation for all priority need households who are unintentionally homeless. A key target is to ensure that by 2012 every unintentionally homeless person will be entitled to permanent accommodation. There are severe problems of homelessness in many areas of Scotland, with single homelessness rising despite legislative changes (Palmer et al 2004.88).