Earlier this month, SHP began running an exciting new service working as part of the London Pathways Partnership within the NHS, supporting offenders with personality disorders. We have seconded three staff into three NHS Trusts across London, working as Clinical Practitioners who all bring a housing specialism to the role.

The NHS Trusts involved are Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, East London NHS Foundation Trust and Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust. 

This is an amazing opportunity for our seconded staff, all of whom have an interest in the mental health sector, and for SHP to work in a ground-breaking service which bridges mental health and housing support for offenders. The roles involve working directly with complex, high-risk personality disordered clients as well as providing housing advice and training to NHS and National Probation Service (NPS) staff. Offenders living with personality disorders are at an increased risk of experiencing homelessness and it is hoped that the new service will help to address this.

SHP will be working together with the NHS and NPS staff to assist clients with their effective desistance and stabilisation programmes within a psychologically informed environment. This is an approach we use across all our work to help deal with the complex emotional and psychological needs of our clients. This is new for the NHS and we are looking forward to seeing how our role develops and how we can work collaboratively to make the initiative a success. 

The service will initially run for 12 months but, if successful, can be extended for three years.