New drug and alcohol service to provide continued support
People needing support for drug or alcohol misuse are set to benefit from a new service in Stoke-on-Trent.
City council Cabinet members this week gave agreement to begin the procurement for one integrated community drug and alcohol service in the city to last for the next five years.
This will give improved long-term support for people in need and will ensure stability, be more consistent and effective, and deliver more value for money.
Following detailed consultation with partners, service users and staff, the proposal is to bring together three existing services including the Community Drug and Alcohol Service (CDAS), Inpatient Detoxification Service and Stoke Recovery Service under the new contract arrangements.
The contract would also manage the supervised consumption and prescribing budget, giving the provider more control over this part of the treatment system.
Allan Sargeant is in recovery from substance misuse and has benefited from the support services available in the city. The 42-year-old now volunteers at CDAS.
He said: “When I got into recovery I accessed Stoke Recovery Service, where through their encouragement I was able to start living and understanding a life I’d never experienced before, and how to successfully interact in society as a whole.
“By living in Meakin House for 10 months I was able to utilise the continual support available to start moving forward, and to see my potential in a way of life full of opportunities.”
