Supporting the homeless to recover and isolate

For 126 years, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne has supported the poorest and most vulnerable in the community, including homeless people.

St Vincent’s is proud to play a leading role in four pop-up facilities established as part of the Victorian Government’s COVID-19 response.

Located in inner Melbourne, the facilities will support Victorians experiencing or at risk of homelessness to self-isolate, quarantine and recover from COVID-19.

In addition to developing the model of care, St Vincent’s will lead clinical services in all four facilities and coordinate intake and referral processes, and the delivery of a Mobile Fever Clinic.

The accommodation will provide a safe and supportive place for people and will be operated by Anglicare Victoria, Brotherhood of St Laurence, Launch Housing, Sacred Heart Mission and VincentCare Victoria, with Bolton Clark Homeless Persons Program providing additional nursing support at remote sites.

Angela Nolan, CEO of St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne said the initiative is a continuation of St Vincent’s proud tradition of caring for those in need.

“This collaborative work is a brilliant example of what can be achieved when we all have a shared focus. I would like to thank everyone who have led this amazing work and who are the embodiment of our values of compassion, justice, integrity and excellence,” she said.

The facilities will accommodate people who have undergone testing and are awaiting results, or those who have returned a positive result. This will include people who are required to self-isolate and do not have suitable housing to do so, as well as those who are being discharged from hospital and require accommodation to recover from COVID-19.

Homelessness services staff will provide 24-hour support to people in the facilities, alongside St Vincent’s nursing staff who will assess and provide care for people as they recover.

If clients require a higher level of care, they will be referred to mainstream health services, including Ambulance Victoria or their closest Emergency Department.

The Victorian Government announced $8.8 million to fund the COVID-19 Isolation and Recovery Facilities program.