How Beacon House Made Preventative Healthcare Accessible for People Experiencing Homelessness

Beacon House Ministries, a primary healthcare centre for people experiencing homelessness in Colchester, partnered with SISU Health to address deep-rooted barriers to preventative care. By introducing a self-service Health Station, the charity facilitated scalable access to health checks, reduced clinical strain, and helped patients engage with their health in a way that felt accessible, non-judgemental and empowering.

The challenge – Tackling health inequality in a digitally excluded population

Beacon House serves individuals experiencing homelessness, many of whom face complex health challenges, trauma, and limited access to routine care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, staff saw an even wider gap emerge – particularly around digital health engagement. Many patients were unregistered with the NHS, lacked access to smartphones or email accounts, or simply didn’t feel confident navigating traditional healthcare systems.

Michelle Wilkinson, Advanced Nurse Practitioner at Beacon House, described the strain on staff time and the need for a more efficient triage process:

My time was being pulled into doing initial health checks, when I needed to focus on diagnostics and management. The station became a whole new team member. 

With limited resources and staff capacity, the organisation needed a low-cost, scalable solution that could support early intervention without adding to the burden on clinical teams.

Health data reflected the scale of need:

• 61.5% of participants were current smokers
• 49.6% were overweight or obese (BMI ≥25)
• Most participants came from highly deprived areas (IMD 1–3)
• 73% were male, with a median age of 41

The solution – Delivering care without disruption

SISU Health deployed a self-service, medical grade Health Station at Beacon House, allowing patients to complete health checks independently or with light-touch volunteer support. In just four minutes, users could check their blood pressure, BMI, heart rate, and more, without needing an appointment or clinician.

The station was integrated into Beacon House’s registration process. New patients were supported to set up a Gmail account, complete their first check, and access their results online – building digital confidence and enabling continuity of care across locations. For a transient population, this portable health record proved vital.

The station also became a triage tool for clinicians, helping prioritise follow-up and freeing up time for more complex cases. Most importantly, it helped patients engage with their health on their own terms in a private, low-pressure environment.

They’ve started going back on it themselves. That motivation to monitor their health is amazing. 

Results – High engagement and measurable impact

Between March 2023 and August 2025, the SISU Health Station at Beacon House delivered:

• 1,427 health checks completed
• 859 participants engaged
• 362 GP call to actions for high BP and/or BMI
• 16.8% repeat users, enabling follow-up and continuity
• 61.5% current smokers engaged in checks
• 15.1% reduction in high blood pressure among repeat users

These results directly address the barriers initially identified by the team at Beacon House. The station successfully engaged people who were more often digitally excluded and at high risk of poor health outcomes. More than one in three participants triggered a GP call-to-action, showing how the tool surfaced unmet clinical need.

High smoking rates highlighted the health risks faced by this group, while repeat usage – despite the instability of homelessness – indicates that people valued the station as an accessible way to monitor their health. Most importantly, the measurable reduction in high blood pressure among repeat users demonstrates how convenient, self-service checks can lead to earlier intervention and better management of long-term conditions.

It’s genuinely saved me a whole lot of work every day. I always show it off – it’s my very own Healthcare Assistant. 

Strategic value – Supporting public health goals and funding outcomes

This programme delivered more than clinical efficiency: it created a scalable, low-barrier model for preventative care in one of the UK’s most marginalised populations. By embedding digital health tools into a frontline voluntary service, Beacon House improved reach, enhanced triage, and aligned with NHS Core20PLUS5 priorities.

The SISU Health dashboard also supported funding applications, providing real-time evidence of reach, equity impact, and measurable outcomes – critical for charities needing to demonstrate impact to commissioners and grant providers.

For patients, the Health Station acted as a portable health record, which is particularly valuable for those without fixed addresses or continuous GP contact. It helped build digital skills, support follow-up across services, and give people a way to take control of their own health journey.

Key takeaways

• Scalable reach: 1,400+ checks delivered to people experiencing homelessness
• Actionable insights: 360+ GP referrals enabled through triage and data
• Accessible care: No appointments, no clinician, no digital literacy required
• Health equity impact: 61.5% smokers engaged; majority from IMD 1–3
• Strategic value: 15% reduction in high blood pressure among repeat users; reduced burden on clinicians; supported funding bids

Bring preventative health checks to your community

Whether you’re working in the NHS, local government or the voluntary sector, SISU Health can help you improve access to preventative healthcare, engage underserved populations and identify hidden health risks earlier. Our self-service health stations provide a scalable way to reduce pressure on frontline teams while generating meaningful health insights and measurable outcomes.

If you’re looking to expand your prevention strategy or improve health equity within your community, we’d love to discuss how SISU Health could support your goals.

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