Graham was placed at the Gables RSI (Rough Sleeper Initiative) after he presented to council as homeless.
He smoked heavily, consumed extreme volumes of alcohol and had previously used heroin. He had a long history of a transient lifestyle. Graham continued to smoke and use alcohol and refused to access specialist services to help address these, stating that he would rather do it himself.
With support from staff at the Gables and encouragement from the P3 seconded NHS Homeless Health Specialist Practitioner, Graham stopped drinking alcohol completely. He enrolled on a training course via the local Jobcentre Plus and successfully completed a training course with an employer. Graham moved out of the Gables to a local authority flat and he continued to receive support from P3 to assist him to set up and successfully manage his tenancy.
He was just about to start work when he was arrested by the Police for an offence committed several years previous. Graham struggled to get to probation appointments due to the public transport disruption and P3 staff were not able to transport him due to the risks posed by the virus.
Court Hearings dates were set and then postponed, and this coupled with not being able to work and the pandemic took their toll on him, and he began drinking alcohol, smoking and using heroin again. He also started to spend more time with his old associates with risk of him losing his tenancy.
Through determination and persistence, P3 staff continued to encourage Graham to engage and reconnect with the Homeless Health Specialist Practitioner, who met him at the Gables and enrolled him on a smoking cessation course.
The Court proceedings finally concluded and because Graham pleaded guilty and presented no defence, other than he was changing his lifestyle. He was given a two-year conditional discharge, a probation order and community service. Persistent support was offered from P3 Gables RSI to encourage his continued engagement in getting help and diagnosis and treatment from the Homeless Health Specialist Practitioner. He also had help to stop smoking and support from P3 staff to enable him to liaise with his Probation officer and to access funds for public transport to go to the court proceedings.
Graham is now becoming heroin free and vastly reducing his alcohol intake. He is now successfully maintaining his tenancy and turning his flat into a home through encouragement from support worker.
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