Trusts join forces to tackle drug and alcohol misuse

The North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (NEP) and the South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (SEPT) are working together as Essex Health Partners in a ground breaking move to establish a single, new, specialist treatment and recovery service (STaRS) for people with a drug or alcohol dependence across the whole of Essex.

Essex STaRS, as the new service will be known, will be different from current specialist prescribing and shared care service and will be a collaborative, recovery-focused system designed to empower people to move from the illicit use of drugs and alcohol towards a life free from dependency and which is maintained voluntarily.

Essex STaRS will have its main centre in Chelmsford, but all clinical staff will be co-located at other partners’ premises, such as Choices, other local alcohol service providers, some GPs’ practices and other community locations. The emphasis will be on better integration of services between STaRS and the rest of the Integrated Recovery Management System (IRMS) offering people an increased choice of pathways in their recovery. In conjunction with Choices there will be user-led recovery planning throughout treatment, including:

• Prevention of complications of substance misuse and reduction of harm
• Dependence and detoxification
• Equal access to physical health care
• Relapse prevention and maintenance of abstinence

The co-location with Choices and other partners, joint working, shared assessments and a shared database will reduce risk for service users, their families and the wider community, and increase successful completion of treatment and reduce relapses.

Andrew Geldard, Chief Executive of NEP, said “We are combining the expertise of both Trusts to deliver Essex services for Essex people. The new Essex STaRS will be accessible to all the people of Essex, in locations they can get to easily, at times that are convenient and offering services that they can understand and engage with. We will provide services in rural as well as urban areas, home visits where necessary and weekday evenings.  We will have a lead practitioner specialising in women’s care. Essex STaRS’ Alcohol Liaison Nurse Specialists (ALNS) will all be qualified nurses and will continue to be based in Colchester, Chelmsford, Harlow and Basildon in acute hospitals.”

Sally Morris, Chief Executive of SEPT, said: “As the current providers, we can offer continuity of personnel and relationships for existing service users transferring to the new system, and have an understanding of local need and resources, strong relationships with partner health and care organisations and smooth access to our own adult mental health and CAMHS services. Our focus will be on recovery, enabling people to reintegrate successfully into their communities, not just about tackling dependence on substances. Working closely with Choices and other partners, our shared recovery-focused culture will influence service users and their family and carers, by creating a visible partnership in their care.”

NEP and SEPT joined together to bid for the contract for the service which is commissioned by Essex County Council.  ECC announced that they were the successful bidders on Friday 5 December.

Subject to final agreement the new service should begin on 1 April next year.