The 13 of October 2006 an annual FEANTSA conference “The right to health the right of man. Ensuring access to health for the homeless,” took place in Wroclaw. 290 people from 31 countries, representing 90 organizations participated in it. FEANTSA is a European federation consisting of over 90 national organizations helping the homeless from all EU countries. A yearly thematic conference is a summary and presentation of the results of annual work concerning a chosen aspect of homelessness.
Due to the 25-year anniversary of our Society, Wroclaw was chosen a place of this year’s conference. The conference was held under the patronage of the Prime Minister of Poland, the Minister of Health  and the President of Wroclaw. In the conference there also participated the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Health, Marek Grabowski, and the representative of European Commission, Hugues Feltesse.

Miejscem obrad by³a Aula Leopoldina Uniwersytetu Wroc³awskiego

A point of departure was the presentation of the European report on access to health for the homeless, drew up by FEANTSA on the basis of a questionnaire filled up by the representatives of individual countries, and the presentation of the results of research conducted in 7 countries of  EU by the European Homelessness Observatory. On the basis of this data there took place a panel discussion and then 5 workshops dedicated to detailed problems. Below there are some main topics of the discussion.
It was claimed that there is a common gap between the nominal and the real access of the homeless to medical services. It concerns the “non-hostel” homeless in particular.
However, one should not give up the possibility of making use of the “main stream” of medical service; it is necessary to complement it with services typical for the homeless (ambulances and clinics); one should be creative when it comes to finding untypical solutions. The “departmental” division into social and medical help should not be so strict in order to ensure a comprehensive aid.
Social and medical services should be sensitive to recognize people with disorders before they become homeless. A new problem are the people searching for a job abroad who come from the new countries of EU and also from Poland.

The conference was preceded by an information day (12 October). St. Brother Albert’s Aid Society, Barka, Pomeranian Forum in Aid of Getting Out of Homelessness and Monar presented their activity. Julia Wygnañska, member of the Observatory, presented statistical data concerning homelessness in Poland. Next the guests visited 7 aid institutions in Wroclaw. During the afternoon session 4 projects concerning health of the homeless, realized by European organizations were proposed and the permanent working groups of FEANTSA presented their work.