Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT
12 Oct 2012
Bishop Terry Brady, Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Sydney blessed St Vincent's Hospital's new health centre for Sydney's homeless at a special ceremony this week.
Known as Tierney House, the innovative care centre is a 12 bed unit and has been established in a terrace house in Darlinghurst's St Vincent Hospital campus. It will provide comprehensive health care to the city's homeless or those at risk of becoming homeless, many of whom suffer from recurring health issues.
Tierney House will also be able to offer short short-term accommodation to the homeless men and women of Sydney's inner city which has the highest concentration of homeless people in Australia. Those residing in Terney House will also be able to access homeless health care offered by the hospital as well as St Vincent's mental health and drug and alcohol services and other general clinical specialties that may be needed.
Prior to discharge from Tierney House, the social needs and access to resources that will help them into housing and support services of those staying in the unit will also be addressed.
This important facility was officially opened by Jillian Skinner, the NSW Minister for Health on Tuesday this week, and is a joint partnership between St Vincent's Hospital and NSW Health. To establish the facility NSW Health contributed $100,000 and starting this year will contribute $600,000 annually towards Tierney House and the health services it provides to the homeless.
"It is no coincidence Tierney House was envisaged for St Vincent's Hospital campus," Ms Skinner told those who attended the opening. "For 150 years the Sisters of Charity have been pioneering models of care to provide outreach to the poor and marginalised."
The Hospital's outreach program has provided care for the homeless men and women in the inner city but Tierney House will allow homeless people to receive proper treatment and care and by staying in the new facility's unit, focus on what they need to do to get well and to come in off the streets.
"When it comes to solutions, we need to do more than give the homeless a bed and a meal for the night," the NSW Minister for Mental Health, Kevin Humphries says. "We need to help give them a pathway out of homelessness."
He welcomed the establishment of an innovative care facility to address the needs of Sydney's homeless and predicted it would lead to a more sustainable long term approach to improving their health and reducing the need for frequent emergency health care in the hospital's ER.
"This new facility will help people at a particularly vulnerable time in their lives to recover and is a great asset for the community at large," he said.
Less than one month ago, the Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell blessed St Vincent's Hospital's multi-million dollar Kinghorn Cancer Centre which offers an holistic approach to those with cancer. The Centre breaks new ground by having medical research teams sharing the same facility and working alongside oncologists and clinical medical staff to create the best treatments possible for each individual cancer patient.
Tierney House will also employ an holistic approach to the care of the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless by combining health care with support to enable those being treated to find an avenue out of homelessness and back into society.
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
12 Oct 2012
Craig who was formerly homeless meets NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner at the opeing of the Tierney House
Known as Tierney House, the innovative care centre is a 12 bed unit and has been established in a terrace house in Darlinghurst's St Vincent Hospital campus. It will provide comprehensive health care to the city's homeless or those at risk of becoming homeless, many of whom suffer from recurring health issues.
Tierney House will also be able to offer short short-term accommodation to the homeless men and women of Sydney's inner city which has the highest concentration of homeless people in Australia. Those residing in Terney House will also be able to access homeless health care offered by the hospital as well as St Vincent's mental health and drug and alcohol services and other general clinical specialties that may be needed.
Prior to discharge from Tierney House, the social needs and access to resources that will help them into housing and support services of those staying in the unit will also be addressed.
NSW Minister for Health at the opening of St Vincent's Hospital's innovative care facility for Sydney's homeless
"It is no coincidence Tierney House was envisaged for St Vincent's Hospital campus," Ms Skinner told those who attended the opening. "For 150 years the Sisters of Charity have been pioneering models of care to provide outreach to the poor and marginalised."
The Hospital's outreach program has provided care for the homeless men and women in the inner city but Tierney House will allow homeless people to receive proper treatment and care and by staying in the new facility's unit, focus on what they need to do to get well and to come in off the streets.
"When it comes to solutions, we need to do more than give the homeless a bed and a meal for the night," the NSW Minister for Mental Health, Kevin Humphries says. "We need to help give them a pathway out of homelessness."
He welcomed the establishment of an innovative care facility to address the needs of Sydney's homeless and predicted it would lead to a more sustainable long term approach to improving their health and reducing the need for frequent emergency health care in the hospital's ER.
"This new facility will help people at a particularly vulnerable time in their lives to recover and is a great asset for the community at large," he said.
Bishop Terry Brady blessed the new health care facility for Sydney's homeless this week
Tierney House will also employ an holistic approach to the care of the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless by combining health care with support to enable those being treated to find an avenue out of homelessness and back into society.
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
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