Service Delivery
Substance Misuse Service in South Tyneside
We provide specialist prescribing and Shared Care development and support for the Tier 3 substance service in South Tyneside.
We currently deliver a comprehensive specialist prescribing service available for all substance misusers in South Tyneside. The aim of which is to provide pharmacological interventions, medical assessment and advice that is effective and of high quality. The service strives to meet the needs of service users, carers and the local community who experience problems with alcohol and or drugs.
We continue to develop and coordinate the shared care system in South Tyneside. Shared care increases the capacity and capability of primary care to care for and treat drug and alcohol users.
We continually explore inwardly to ensure that we continue to deliver a high quality survey. We listen and discover, from annual surveys and personal feedback, what commissioners, colleagues and service users think and want. Our clients say that we make a difference. Our annual survey of drug users confirms that most users improved their lives, most scored their care as good or excellent, and said “You listen.”
"Since I've come into treatment I've found that I am doing much better. They listen to what I want
from my treatment. I am glad I came here."
Julie, a single parent living in South Shields, describes her experience
In 2009 NHS South of Tyne and Wear commissioned an independent research to consult with both carers affected by substance misuse and carer organisations throughout SoTW about the services available and any gaps in provision within Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland. In December 2009 a Carers Options Appraisal produced the findings which highlighted the huge diversity of provision across the region and identified a need for a more integrated working approach.
These findings resulted in the contract that First Contact Clinical currently hold as the Lead Organisation to coordinate and develop service provision for carers and family members of people who misuse substances across SoTW. This work is carried out under the banner of "The Carers' Drug and Alcohol Network".
The Vision:
The Carers' Drug and Alcohol Network will bring together like-minded individuals throughout Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland to challenge the stigma of substance misuse and provide more services, for more carers (of drug and alcohol users), in more places than ever before.
Each organisation within the network will consider the needs of all carers throughout the South of Tyne and Wear whilst keeping the independence and identity of their own service. We will work together to develop the services that carers want and the evidence suggests they need.
Local, national groups and policy makers will listen to our network. Our opinions will influence their decisions and the way services are delivered. We will embrace the strengths of each organisation and offer innovative solutions to increase the range of services provided in the South of Tyne and Wear .
Carers and professionals will receive comprehensive training to improve their awareness and knowledge. We will support and challenge each network member to develop ground-breaking practice which will result in services being more accessible, easier to navigate and recognised as excellent within the field.
We will identify carers earlier and review their personal needs throughout their loved ones' journey. We will work with all health and social care agencies to make sure that we are part of an integrated support system: a system that we can be proud of.
If youwould like to find out more about the services we deliver contact us.