The following toolkits and information sheets have been produced by the Westminster Homeless Health Coordination Project (WHHCP).
Several of the toolkits were produced when the WHHCP was run by St Mungo’s, and were created in partnership with other organisations identified as best practice.
Others have been updated since the project moved to Groundswell. Some of the toolkits are from other organisations and are examples of best practice.
All Groundswell resources are produced with the guidance of health and social care specialists, and referencing information from NHS or specific charities. The information is correct at the time of publication. Please check with the NHS for the most up-to-date information.
Working with clients and cuckooing
This toolkit, along with accompanying safety plan and information leaflet, aim to provide information about what cuckooing is, the early warning signs, how staff can help reduce the chance of cuckooing taking place, and safety planning and management.
Other Toolkits
Adult Social care referral toolkit
671 KB
This toolkit promotes awareness of the framework for social care in England and guidance around making referrals to Westminster Social services care teams for an adult.
Assistive Technology information sheet
315 KB
This factsheet explains assistive technology options available in Westminster to help people experiencing homelessness stay safe and independent. It includes how to access items like fall sensors and medication reminders through support services.
Autism and homelessness toolkit
1.03 MB
This is the 2nd edition of the toolkit (updated at the start of 2024). The toolkit has been updated and explains autism and how to work with clients who show signs of autism, suggests ways to communicate with autistic people, and methods to help them take up and stay in accommodation.
Brain injury toolkit
1.08 MB
This toolkit goes through what a brain injury is and how it can impact people. It also looks at what help there is for people affected by brain injury, provides thoughts around working with challenging behaviour & mental capacity, and provides a template for gathering case history.
Eviction prevention toolkit
780 KB
This toolkit provides guidance for service managers on considering a PIE approach when creating their eviction procedure and policy, in order to prevent unnecessary evictions and potentially re-traumatising the young adults accessing our services. The toolkit will also provide guidance on how to work with young adults who are demonstrating behaviours that indicate high levels of distress.
GP registration toolkit
610.61 KB
This toolkit promotes awareness of the challenges clients may face when trying to register with a GP and provides guidance on how to complain about a GP practice.
Learning disabilities and homelessness
856 KB
This toolkit provides information on learning disabilities (what they are, how they affect people, how to recognise them), screening questionnaires/ assessments, how to support people with learning disabilities and what support is available.
Making referrals stand out toolkit
868 Kb
Creating successful referrals is hard. You will probably need to make referrals to numerous organisations; health services, safeguarding teams, social services, clearing house and the list goes on…Staff are not trained at how to make the ‘perfect referral’, so this toolkit can help as a starting point to making referrals stand out.
Memory services toolkit
637.72 KB
This toolkit promotes awareness of conditions that may cause memory loss, provides information about pathways for assessment/support services, and provides guidance about assessment/diagnosis of dementia.
Multi-disciplinary case conference toolkit
756 KB
This toolkit provides advice around when it is appropriate to organise a multi-disciplinary case conference and provides guidance on how to run a case conference.
Self care for workers
553 KB
This toolkit describes how a client’s behaviour can impact staff, provides information on compassion fatigue so staff can recognise it, describes burn out and the impact on clients and staff members, and lists self-care methods that could help towards self-care.
Suicide postvention toolkit
652 KB
This toolkit provides; a list of possible actions after a suspected suicide at your service, a checklist of what tasks need to be completed immediately and soon after a client dies after a suspected suicide, suggests ways that you can support staff and clients after a suspected suicide, and provides details of national and local support services that could be useful to refer individuals.
Supporting staff when a client dies
830.90 KB
This toolkit explains how grief can manifest, how to recognise grief, suggest systems you can put in place to support staff after a client dies, provides details of national/ local support services, and provides a check list of tasks that need to be completed after a client passes away.
Understanding Hoarding toolkit
789 KB
A research paper found that 18.5% of people experiencing homelessness report hoarding symptoms more than three times the prevalence of the general population. This toolkit aims to help staff to understand and support those that hoard.
Working with clients who have experienced trauma
1 MB
This toolkit aims to provide staff working with services users with a robust toolkit with which to work with trauma; to understand what trauma is and the different types, understand the impact of trauma and potential resulting behaviour, provide guidelines for working with survivors of trauma and explain the impact on staff.
Useful infographics are also provided which can be used to explain the trauma response to service users as well as a reading list for further reading.
Working with LGBTQ+ clients toolkit
696kb
This toolkit provides staff working with services users ways in which to work with LGBTQ+ clients. The toolkit explains pronouns, methods to help create LGBTQ+ inclusive services and answers frequently asked questions.
Working with suicidal clients toolkit
684.67 KB
This toolkit aims to increase awareness of the signs of suicide, suggest ways to listen and learn from a suicidal client, provide guidance on how to support/create a safety plan, and provides a list of support services/additional resources for further reading.
Linked Toolkits
- Palliative care training (developed by Marie Curie/ St Mungo’s and Pathway) is available at: http://www.homelesspalliativecare.com
Alcohol Change UK’s guidance
2.9 Mb
Alcohol Change UK’s guidance aims to help practitioners to improve the well-being and safety of adults who are highly vulnerable, chronic, dependent drinkers
Homeless Link’s Mental capacity act tool kit & Mental Health Service interventions for people who sleep rough
3.6 Mb
Grief Information sheets
These information sheets are designed to help staff support clients experiencing grief and include a printable version for clients who are rough sleeping. Both sheets explain common grief reactions and offer suggestions to support the grieving process.
Other Information sheets
A&E client information sheet
249.24 KB
This is an example of good practice developed by Kings College. It should be filled out by staff in supported housing and given to ambulance crew when a client goes to hospital, with aim of reducing inappropriate hospital discharges and improve information sharing.
Bed bug management information sheet
541.59 KB
This document provides information how to best deal with bed bugs, with best practice collated from Westminster Services.
Check list if a client self-discharges from hospital
521.30 KB
This document provides a check list of actions to take if a client self-discharges from hospital and returns to your service whilst possibly still unwell.
Coroners and inquest information sheet
547.12 KB
This document aims to provide information about what to expect if coroners attend your service and how to prepare for an inquest.
COVID-19 vaccinations at your service
317 KB
This document suggests possible methods to increase COVID-19 vaccinations at your service; including tips before a vaccination clinic, and relevant information needed after a vaccination.
Free or low cost exercise in Westminster
196 KB
The following information sheet provides information on how clients can access free or low cost exercise in Westminster.
GP access action update
631 KB
Too many people experiencing homelessness are wrongly turned away from GP surgeries. This document explains people’s rights when registering with a GP and can be printed as a takeaway guide.
Health checks & workshop information sheet
244 KB
This document details organisations you can contact in Westminster to run in-reach health checks or health workshops. It also provides resources for staff to run health sessions along with a calendar of national health campaigns and resources.
Health treatment refusal form
386.84 KB
This form can be used as a tool to encourage clients to accept health treatment (e.g. ambulance call out to hospital) and to document when treatment has been declined.
MDT evictions protocol
250 KB
This document provides a set of principles on steps to take before & when an eviction is taking place of a high-risk revolving door client.
Methods to provide in-house counselling
542.23 KB
This document explains the options available if you are considering offering counselling at your service.
Scabies information sheet
480 KB
This document provides information on how to best deal with scabies in services.
Seizure information sheet
313 KB
The seizure information sheet provides a list of useful videos and websites that staff can visit to learn more about seizure first aid, along with a printable poster that can be displayed at your service.
Smooth transitions guidance
325.37 KB
This form can be used to reflect on best practice when transitioning clients to another service and to provide a handover of health information to a new service
Spice information sheet
288 KB
This Spice information sheet provides a short summary on the risks of using Spice, alongside harm minimisation advice, links to further information and a Spice warning poster.
Spice warning poster
286.04 KB
A poster that can printed out detailing the facts about Spice and how to reduce harm.
Westminster Disclosures of Childhood Sexual Abuse leaflet
370 KB
Managing disclosures of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a printable leaflet that explains what steps need to be taken if a client discloses CSA. It also looks at how to manage a disclosure, how to help with stabilisation and support services.
Westminster key safeguarding contacts
322 KB
This document can be printed so staff have easy access to safeguarding teams for children and adults, MARAC and Care Act Assessment
Westminster Palliative Care information sheet
392.71 KB
This information sheet provides a summary of resources designed to help staff supporting service users that are at end of life. If you would not be surprised if a client were to die within the next 6 to 12 months, then you should access the following resources to support them.
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