Mobile support service for patients with drug and alcohol problems

Addaction’s clinical pharmacist Rachel Britton and Charlie Kirkby, a recovery worker at the service, will be working with staff at Weston General Hospital, to make sure people admitted with alcohol or drug-related issues are given support from the moment they arrive that continues when they are at home.

The Addaction staff will also be working with Public Health England to train hospital staff, social workers and community pharmacists in how to talk to people about their alcohol issues, make them aware of risks, and how to refer them to Addaction for further support.

In addition, the mobile service means those patients too ill to get to the drug and alcohol service in Weston’s Boulevard, will be seen in their own home. The home visits will mean people can start receiving the right medication and support to get them to a stage in their recovery where they can start attending the normal service and benefit from the groups and peer support opportunities.

The mobile support service has recently been launched thanks to funding from North Somerset Council.

The aims of the service are to make sure those who need support and treatment are being referred to Addaction and to see a reduction in alcohol and drug-related readmissions at the hospital.

Rachel and Charlie plan to equip hospital staff with scratchcards with risk calculators on showing the impact of a patient’s drinking.

Rachel said:

“So far we’ve spent time promoting the service to hospital staff and just today they’ve called about a lady who has been admitted who is very ill due to her drinking. We can now go in and visit her, start working with her and keep working with her when she comes out until she’s at a point where we can hand her support over to one of our regular teams. It’s intensive work with individuals who need it until they’re ready for our normal service.”

The mobile support service is a pilot project which will run initially until March 31, 2017.