BCOM Partnership with C4WS Homeless Project

The British College of Osteopathic Medicine is pleased to announce a working partnership with the C4WS Homeless Project. BCOM clinic will be providing osteopathic care to C4WS Homeless Project guests.

C4WS Homeless Project was established in 2005 in Camden but twelve years later homelessness continues to rise with an estimated 2,569 people sleeping on the streets in England, and  this number is an underestimation as it fails to count  individuals who ‘sofa-surf’. 48% of C4WS Homeless Project guests are in the 18-25 year age bracket. The primary reason for homelessness for C4WS Homeless Project guests is simply a lack of money (36%).

A homeless audit in 2014 found that 73% of the homeless reported some form of physical problem with 22.1% reporting joints and muscular problems (this compares to 13.9% of the general population). An observational study in 2013 on chronic pain in the homeless suggested that 51.4% of the respondents reported pain in their lower limbs, 36.9% in the abdomen, back and pelvis. The study suggested that the homeless had higher levels of chronic pain compared to the general population for number of reasons. 41% of C4WS Homeless Project guests report physical health problems.

BCOM is now in its 80^th year of teaching osteopathic and naturopathic students. BCOM provides a teaching clinic on site offering approximately 20,000 patient appointments a year. BCOM’s ethos is focusing on an individual’s overall health as well as the muscle or joint pain an individual may have. BCOM tutors and clinical students will be providing osteopathic treatment to the C4WS Homeless Project guests on a fortnightly basis at the C4WS Homeless Project winter shelter. Further, C4WS Homeless Project guests will also be seen in the BCOM teaching clinic.

Fisher R, Ewing J, Garret A, Harrison E K, Lwin K, Wheeler D. The nature and prevalence of chronic pain in homeless persons: an observational study. Full version:http://f1000research.com/articles/2-164/v1 (accessed 21 October 2015)

Homeless link. The unhealthy state of homelessness: Health audit results 2014.http://www.homeless.org.uk/sites/default/files/site-attachments/The%20unhealthy%20state%20of%20homelessness%20FINAL.pdf (accessed 22 January 2016)

Date Posted: 05/10/2017 | Posted In: College News