The hub was founded in 2016 by Wrexham GP Dr Karen Sankey,
Dewi Richards, a mental health manager at Betsi Cadwaladr
University Health Board and Tanya Jones from homeless
charity The Wallich.
It holds weekly drop-in sessions with a number of
organisations, including the health board, Department for
Work and Pensions and Wrexham Council. The hub now supports
more than 100 people who are homeless, sleeping rough or
have mental health or substance misuse
problems.
The First Minister joined one of the drop-in sessions at
the Salvation Army building in Wrexham.
said:
“As the weather turns colder it is vital the right
support is available for people who are homeless and
sleeping rough.
“We’ve recently announced £1.34m to tackle rough sleeping
in Wales this winter, including £54,000 for the Community
Care Hub, in Wrexham.
“The multi-agency approach here, with everyone available
in one place to provide vital advice and support is
exemplary. There are a number of complex reasons why
people find themselves homeless and it is important they
have the opportunity to access the right support at the
right time - as they do here.
“I would like to thank all those involved in this project
for their hard work and dedication.”
Dr Sankey said:
“I am delighted with what the community care
collaborative has achieved at the hub in partnership with
AVOW and the Salvation Army, working with a wide range of
voluntary and statutory sector partners.
“The hub is an innovative model of primary care offering
an accessible, holistic, person-centred approach that
meets the health and wellbeing needs of some of the most
vulnerable people in our community.
“The success of the hub has attracted funding support
from the Welsh Government, the Steve Morgan Foundation,
the Waterloo Foundation and the Allen Lane Foundation,
enabling the collaborative to employ care navigators –
one of whom was a hub user in its early days.
“Working with the health board, we are exploring how the
model could be replicated as an alternative model of
primary care provision for the wider community.”
Major Roger Batt, Salvation Army Divisional Commander for
NW England & North Wales:
“I am so pleased that First Minister, has come along today
to Wrexham Salvation Army to see for himself what a vital
service the care hub is providing to people experiencing
homelessness in and around the town.
“The fact that visitors who may have primarily just
dropped in to the church to get a hot meal and a change
of clothes can also get to see a GP, go to the harm
reduction surgery or get advice on benefits while they’re
here is just brilliant.
“The care hub is really helping to reconnect people to
the support they need to overcome homelessness and I am
full of admiration for everyone involved in the
partnership for making it such a success.”
