Service User Involvement
Addiction Services
Service user involvement – Addiction Services
About the project
We are in touch with people who use addiction services and with groups of friends and families. They said it would be useful to have more information about opportunities for people who use addiction services and carers to get involved in shaping services and in helping each other.
This webpage has details of some service user groups and examples of some of the resources people who are affected by addictions have helped develop. This is part of the Working Towards project.
Contacts and Information
The Alliance
The Alliance is a user led organisation which provides advocacy, training and helpline services to those currently in drug or alcohol treatment, those who have accessed treatment in the past and those who may access treatment in the future.
The Alliance was founded in 1999 by a group of committed drug users and professionals working together as equals to improve the quality and
availability of treatment in the UK. It arose from a belief that drug users needed a real voice in their treatment and in national and international drug policy.
Its priorities are:
• To support the right of people to be directly involved in all decisions relating to their care
• To provide accurate advice and information on the rights of people receiving treatment
• To advocate on behalf of people receiving, in their opinion, inappropriate care
• To lobby for effective prescribing practices including, where appropriate, drugs of choice
• To offer a supported structure through which drug and alcohol users can lobby effectively
• To promote harm-reduction
• To provide volunteer and employment opportunities for drug and alcohol users
• To play a key role in research and education on drug and alcohol use and treatment issues
The Helpline is available every weekday between 10am and 5pm. Alliance staff members are available to give advice to service users seeking advice and information about their treatment or lack of it, and to service users and professionals on issues surrounding drug use and maintenance prescribing.
Contact details
32 Bloomsbury Street London
WC1B 3QJ
The office number is 020 7299 4304.
The helpline number is 0845 122 8608 and operates between 10am and 5pm every weekday, except public holidays.
[email protected] www.m-alliance.org.uk
Bournemouth Alcohol and Drug Service User Forum - BADSUF
BADSUF is an independent user controlled organisation offering support and information to people who use addiction services in the Bournemouth area. These are the services BADSUF provides.
• Open Days are held annually: they are a great chance for people to come and submit their comments or suggestions about treatment and help to identify treatment planning gaps and shortfalls.
• Independent telephone help line, designed to offer information, help and support to service users and carers in the Bournemouth area.
• An in house independent advocacy service. An advocate can represent any service user currently undergoing treatment in the Bournemouth area helping them with particular problems, complaints, or suggestions as to how their treatment is being conducted.
• A dedicated community support worker who regularly visits service providers and service users in the Bournemouth area, fostering better community relations, and ensuring that BADSUF services are available to all those who are currently undergoing treatment.
• The community support worker evaluates service providers, ensuring that all deliveries of treatment are in compliance with the current models of care. By fostering good relations with service providers we are able to assist in the provision of better quality services across the board.
• Service User Representation: BADSUF collects the views and opinions of service users, and uses the information gathered from inspections of service providers to contribute to committee meetings and develop strategies that can make a real positive change to the manner in which drug and alcohol treatment is administered.
Contact details
Bournemouth Alcohol and Drug Service User Forum (BADSUF) Flat 1, 29 Alma Rd Winton Bournemouth DORSET BH9 1AB www.badsuf.com
Drink and Drugs News
DDN is a magazine with news, articles and job vacancies in the drug and alcohol addictions fields. DDN has organised and sponsored the national service user involvement conferences in Birmingham
There is a Your Space section on the website, with links to many service user-led groups and projects. They are planning to have an on-line directory of service user groups soon.
www.drinkanddrugsnews.com
Drugaid Cymru
Drugaid Cymru – or Drugaid Wales – has worked to help individuals and communities tackle drug and alcohol problems in South Wales for over 30 years.
The vision is to bring about positive and sustained change for individuals and communities in support of the aspirations and needs of those affected by their own and someone else's drug or alcohol use, by offering opportunities aimed at minimising harm and maximising resilience.
These are some of the services Drugaid Cymru provides.
• services and support
• drug and alcohol information
• services for young people
• harm reduction
They have developed 2 Self Help Manuals, which are available on their website.
Drug and Alcohol Self Help Manual - This self help manual is for drug and alcohol users who are thinking about making changes in their lives. It helps people make the changes that they want around their drug and alcohol use: using more safely, cutting down or stopping. The Self Help Manual was developed in partnership with people who use services.
Concerned Others Manual - This self help manual is aimed at people who are concerned about a loved one's drug use. It aims to reduce the stresses and issues they may be experiencing by giving hints and tips on how to improve the quality of the carer’s life and be supportive to the person they care about. Peer Support Service is a new development for Drugaid. A group of service users are trained to deliver harm reduction services including giving up-to-date, realistic information about drug and alcohol issues in a variety of settings.
Contact details
1st Floor St Fagans House St Fagans Street
Caerphilly CF83 1FZ 029 2088 1000
http://www.drugaidcymru.com
Hi’s and Lows
A user group project that supports adults in the Walsall Borough that use drugs or alcohol. Hi's and Lows offer 1-2-1 support, drop in's, diversionary activities, days out and much more. They support the individual wherever they are in their using journey, they fully support lifestyle choices and are not abstinent based.
They have a page on facebook which can be accessed by facebook members through searching Hi’s n Lows.
http://www.myspace.com/drugs_alcohol https://twitter.com/hisnlows
Lancashire User Forum
Lancashire User Forum (LUF) is linked to the Lancashire Drug and Alcohol Action Team. Together, they developed a Guide to Drug and Alcohol services in their area. It is a handy book that will fit in someone’s pocket. There is information on the whole range of services someone with an addiction may be in touch with, advice on harm reduction and tips and hints on keeping well.
Contact details
Lancashire Drug and Alcohol Action Team The Minerva Centre
Lowthorpe Road Preston Lancashire PR1 6SB 01772 77065 www.ldaat.org
Contact for Service User Support Groups: Dave Rankine, Service User Co-ordinator at LDAAT [email protected]
http://www.ldaat.org/service-development/service-user-support-groups.php
Oxfordshire User Team - OUT
Oxfordshire User team is led by people who use addition services. This is the range of services it provides:
• advocacy
• peer education - harm reduction workshops
• information on service users’ rights while receiving treatment and on getting involved in your treatment
• volunteer project
Contact details
Oxfordshire User Team James House
47A James Street Oxford
OX4 1EU
Manager: Glenda Daniels
07986816955/ 01865 209111
www.oxfordshireuserteam.org.uk
SPACE
The Suffolk Partnership for Addiction and Care Engagement (SPACE) is an organisation of people who use, or have used, drug and alcohol treatment services in Suffolk. The partnership brings together these individuals and groups, to form one main body carrying a united voice for service users in Suffolk. They aim to be involved in current services and influence the development of future services.
Contact details
07809 594401
www.spaceusergroup.com/about.html
Strategic service user involvement in Wales
There are two workers employed by the area commissioners (funders) of drug and alcohol services, funded by the Welsh Assembly and independent of all the drug and alcohol services like Drugaid. They will specifically answer any of your questions about service user involvement, help and encourage you to get involved, advocate on your behalf and listen to your suggestions and concerns.
Gwent Service User Involvement Worker RCT Service User Involvement Worker Chris Williams
01443 827309
