Aims: This paper examines admissions for the last ten years for those recorded as of no fixed abode (NFA) on the National Psychiatric In-Patient Reporting System (NPIRS).

Methods: The Health Research Board’s (HRB) NPIRS data were analysed using SPSS to develop an overview of admissions with NFA recorded for the years 2007-2016 (n=2,176).

Results: In the period 2007-2016 there were 2,176 admissions with NFA recorded. In that 10-year period there was a 44% increase in admissions with NFA from 188 in 2007 to 271 in 2016. The analysis shows that the characteristics of this cohort have remained largely unchanged in the 10 years; almost three-quarters (1,598; 73.4%) were male, almost half (1,068; 49.1%) were less than 35 years of age and three-quarters (1,638; 75.2%) were less than 45 years. Three-quarters (1,643; 75.5%) were single and a similar proportion was unemployed (1,640; 75.4%). In addition, the highest proportion had a diagnosis of schizophrenia (621; 28.5%) followed by drugs/alcohol disorders (590; 27.1%). These characteristics are consistent with the single ‘chronically homeless’ people described in the literature.

Discussion: The paper concludes the need to use routinely collected data to help understand and address the need of specific homeless sub-groups particularly those on institutional circuits that include psychiatric in-patient facilities. To enable this it recommends the implementation of the individual health identifier as a matter of urgency.