Nurses win award for homeless clinic idea

Two Coventry University nursing students have won an award for helping vulnerable and homeless people get easier access to vital healthcare services.

Leah Kirkwood and Florence Jack Petter helped establish fortnightly clinics in Warwickshire that offered basic health checks, rather than people going to A&E when unwell.

The pair were "central" to running the clinics, the university said, which helped identify health issues earlier, with about a third of attendees found to need further support or treatment.

Kirkwood and Petter said they were honoured to have won the Student Innovation in Practice award at the Student Nursing Times Awards 2026.

They became involved in the project while training as nursing associates with the university and Leamington Spa Primary Care Network (PCN).

The clinics were started by the PCN, Helping Hands Community Project and GP Dr David Maud after establishing there were no dedicated outreach healthcare clinics for people experiencing homelessness across Coventry and Warwickshire.

Judges praised the pair as being "instrumental" in setting up the project which they said was "an innovative, nurse-led and responsive service with a clear human touch and a patient centred approach".

Kirkwood, 45, said the award showed the work mattered and had the potential to be used more widely.

"These are people who so often fall through the cracks," she said.

"Many have had difficult experiences with healthcare and don't feel able to access traditional services.

"By meeting them in a place they feel safe, seeing the same faces regularly and taking the time to listen, we can really start to make a difference."

Petter, 30, said: "It is an incredible honour to win this award.

"More importantly it shines a light on the importance of addressing health inequalities and recognising the impact of outreach work."

Maud said the students, who have since qualified and are now completing a nursing degree top-up, were "crucial" to the success of the clinics and that he was very pleased their work had been recognised.

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