Joseph Cowen Health Centre

Address:
8 Wilfred Street, Byker, NE6 1JQ

Email:
healthcentre@tynehousing.org.uk

Telephone:
(0191) 228 4929

Opening hours:

Monday to Thursday: 8am to 4pm

Friday: 8am to 3pm

Saturday: 8.15am to 2.45pm

Tyne Housing has operated the Joseph Cowen Health Centre since 1996; it is run in partnership with North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Newcastle City Council. The Centre is a dedicated Health and Wellbeing Hub for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, including people who are rough sleeping, who may not be registered with a GP, offering a safe, welcoming space with access to primary healthcare and support services.

The Centre provides non judgemental general advice and support, free hot and cold refreshments and a wide range of health and wellbeing services for people over the age of 18, including bathing facilities, housing advice and referrals to key services, access to telephone and computer, phone/vape charging and free clothing and books (subject to donations). The centre provides a Needle Exchange and a basic harm reduction service, access to naloxone and free contraceptives and sexual health services.

Joseph Cowen Health Centre’s strength lies in its partnership working and colocation of services in a trusted space, which means that on weekdays, visitors have access to a NHS Health Practitioner, Sexual Health Clinic, Rough Sleepers Drug and Alcohol Team (offering support with physical and mental healthcare, a social worker, treatment and recovery), Newcastle Treatment and Recovery Service, Emergency Dental Health Referral , Mental Health support, and a Smoking Cessation Service. Additional programmed screening sessions include an Optician, Hepatitis C Trust clinics, Liver Unit Scans and Vaccination Clinics. Visitors can also be referred into Tyne’s Woodwork/Arts Studio and Employability Programme.