The traditional 'street' addiction service was never set up to work
with clients with learning disabilities, chronic pain disorders,
personality disorders, over 75s – and so many more issues.
In fact, these comorbidities are often exclusion criteria for many treatment services.
Clients can get stuck in a loop of rejection with no one from other health services
prepared to take on their treatment for fear that they lack the necessary skills.
Some have suggested that the answer is the development of highly specialised
comorbidity, services but these would be costly and likely to increase the level of
exclusion and stigmatisation felt by their service users. The reality is that to address
their substance misuse needs you do not require an 'expert' level of experience in
both issues. The expertise is in the ability to adapt substance misuse interventions to
fit the needs of the individual in front of you. You need an understanding of how the
comorbid condition influences substance misuse – but you also need enough
confidence in your own approach to be able to adapt it in a person-centred way.
Addiction services are beginning to recognise their need to manage more complex
service users. Cwm Taf University Health Board's substance misuse service (RISMS)
saw an increase in referrals for individuals with a learning disability (LD) and
neurodevelopmental disorders and wanted to enhance their skills to engage with
these service users more effectively. Although they linked with their local LD team,
neither group of staff felt equipped to deal effectively with this group, so they
approached Pulse Addictions for training.
Using our knowledgeable trainers, with their wealth of experience working within
the complex needs addictions field, we were able to design and deliver tailored
training, focusing directly on the needs of the service. From general considerations
such as allowing service users to wait in quiet rooms away from the main waiting
areas and avoiding the use of jargon and metaphor, through to adapting specific
psychosocial interventions for those with cognitive impairment, the course took the
findings of the limited research in this area and turned it into tangible techniques
appropriate for day-to-day use. The training provided staff at all levels with a balance
of evidence-based knowledge and skills-based practice, empowering them to work
with service users with LD and neurodevelopmental disorders with confidence.
Pulse Addictions provides tailored training, consultancy and clinical management
in the field of substance misuse and associated areas to organisations across the
UK. With a proven track record of enhancing and developing services whether
community - based, NHS, third sector, private sector, residential or secure, they
have the expertise to meet the most demanding of briefs with a personal touch.
For details of their services visit
May 2016 |
drinkanddrugsnews
| 13
Have you noticed the world is getting more
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