Saturday 21 April 2018

Trust leads new combined drug and alcohol service for Derbyshire

We are leading a partnership to deliver Derbyshire’s first ever integrated drug and alcohol recovery service, starting on 1 April 2017.

As part of Derbyshire Recovery Partnership, we will be providing a combined service for adults that will offer a range of treatments and support all ‘under one roof’. People requiring both drug and alcohol support will no longer need to be re-referred or transferred between services. One phone call will be all it takes to request either service.

Derbyshire Recovery Partnership is a unique collaboration between the NHS, two charities and a peer-led training organisation.

It brings together:

Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Local charity Derbyshire Alcohol Advice Service
National charity Phoenix Futures
Peer-led training organisation Intuitive Thinking Skills.

The partnership has been chosen by Derbyshire County Council following a competitive tender process last year.

'Seamless' service

David Hurn, service manager for substance misuse services at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, says:

“I’m very excited to be launching this partnership, which will provide local people with innovative support in a seamless way. I really do feel like we’ve assembled the ‘A Team’ as each of the partners brings different but complementary skills, which together should prove very effective in helping Derbyshire people to overcome drug and alcohol misuse problems and go on to lead meaningful, fulfilling lives.

“Derbyshire Healthcare brings a wealth of clinical experience after years of providing substance misuse services in both Derbyshire and the city of Derby, and our staff will be responsible for medical assessments, specialist health support and specialist prescribing.

“DAAS brings a huge amount of knowledge and experience of reaching out to Derbyshire residents and offering confidential information, advice and counselling, having been successfully providing local alcohol support for over 36 years.

“Phoenix Futures brings a national perspective on recovery, with trained drug and alcohol workers who can offer a range of support and guidance, tailored to the needs of the individual.

“Intuitive Thinking Skills brings a clear client focus, as it offers a range of reflective and educational courses that are designed and delivered by people who have overcome significant problems in their own lives.

“Together, we look forward to working with any Derbyshire residents who need our support to get their lives back on track.”

'Well-established organisations'

Derbyshire County Council has awarded the contract to Derbyshire Recovery Partnership for three years, with an option to extend the contract for a further two years and then another two years after that. Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust will serve as the lead organisation and will have ultimate responsibility for the service.

Derbyshire County Council’s Director of Public Health, Dean Wallace, said: “We are pleased to have commissioned the Derbyshire Recovery Partnership.

“This is a partnership of well-established charities and organisations that have a wealth of experience in providing support, training, education and treatment of alcohol and drugs related issues.

“Because the partnership provides a complete range of services it avoids people having to transfer between different organisations and potentially falling out of the system.”

Anyone wishing to access Derbyshire Recovery Partnership for support with drug or alcohol issues from 1 April 2017 can call either 0845 308 4010 or 01246 206514, or email info@derbyshirerecoverypartnership.co.uk

More information can be found at: www.derbyshirerecoverypartnership.co.uk