The essential journalist news source
Back
23.
May
2016.
Happy first birthday to a drink and drug recovery service in Brent

[image]

23 May 2016

For immediate release

Happy first birthday to a drink and drug recovery service in Brent

Service users and staff have been marking the first year of CNWL's successful Recovery Day Programme for people in Brent recovering from severe drink and drug problems.

More than 50 people including former service users, staff, partners and the Commissioner - Andy Brown - attended the event, which included a piece of drama from recent graduates of the Programme as well as music.

It also saw four people - one of whom was unable to attend on the day because she had a job interview - presented with certificates by CNWL Divisional Director Lorna Payne for having passed the 12-week programme.

Lorna said: "These events are brilliant as it allows people like me to see the people who really are important - the people we are delivering the services for.

"I have been deeply impressed with the personal journey all our graduates have undertaken to retake control of their lives - it takes real courage and gives others hope.

"I'm also deeply impressed with the staff - including the volunteers, trainees and assistant psychologists - without whom the service and Programme wouldn't deliver half as well as it currently does.

"It's an excellent example of co-production with service users and an excellent example of partnership with the commissioners who have consistently shown unfailing support and belief in the model of care.

"I'm so glad we decided to offer what was a really new model within CNWL at the time."

Funded by Brent Council Public Health, the programme uses the latest proven psychological interventions to help patients overcome their addictions.

So far it has had a 100 per cent success rate with none of its graduates having required further treatment after the initial 12-week programme.

One of the first cohort of graduates said: "Attending the programme has given me back my life and my confidence and an inner peace. I'm now in a good place."

The RDP team has 17 team members made up of full and part time paid and voluntary staff headed by a Consultant Psychologist.

This is also underpinned by two Volunteer Recovery Support Workers and a Service user Coordinator.

The Programme is one part of the services offered through the Addiction Recovery and Clinical Centre (ARCC), which operates mainly out of new offices in the Willesden Centre for Health in Harlesden Road, and also a site in Cobbold Road.

The other services offered are the Brent Clinical Prescribing Team - formerly the Junction Drug and Alcohol Service; a Care Planned Counselling Service; an Employment Advisory Service; and Peer Support Practitioners and Peer Recovery Workers, who are able to provide a lived understanding of what service users are experiencing.
 
E
ditors' notes 
 

The attached photo shows Divisional Director Lorna Payne cutting the birthday cake with the three new graduates.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Stephenson House, 75 Hampstead Road, London NW1 2PL
Tel: 020 3214 5756 e-mail:
communications.cnwl@nhs.net