Nottingham Alcohol and Drug Team (NADT)

NADT has continued to provide a Primary Care Liaison Worker, to work alongside Dr. Stephen Willott GP, on Wednesday mornings between 10.00 am and 1.00 pm, providing a shared care provision for service users experiencing problems with illicit drugs and/or alcohol. The NADT worker’s role is to carry out an assessment of need, advise on prescribing protocols for substitute medication and to provide ongoing psycho-social support for service users.

There have been discussions with Nottinghamshire County Drug and Alcohol Action Team about expanding the service provision for Rushcliffe clients, possibly including those seen at Friary Drop-In. It was envisaged that this service would be provided at an alternative (as yet unspecified) venue, but to date there have been no further developments on this front.

The take-up of the service at Friary Drop-In appears to be growing year on year. In the year April 2007 to March 2008, there have been 304 individual contacts at the Wednesday clinics. A total of 11 individuals remained on maintenance prescriptions of Methadone or Bupramorphine, both of which are opiate substitutes. Compliance with the treatment programme has generally been good, particularly when viewed under the context of the chaotic lives that many of the service users lead.

A welcome addition to the service offered has been the arrival of Charlie Taylor, a clinical nurse specialist from the Dual Diagnosis Team (part of NADT). Charlie’s remit is to work with service users who experience problems with substance misuse and mental health. He attends Friary Drop-In every other week. One of the benefits from this has been improved dialogue with the George Road Mental Health Team, allowing improved access for Friary Drop-In service users.

As ever, my thanks go to Ann and her team for allowing us the use of office space in such a busy drop-in and the friendly welcome that is such a feature of the Friary.

Jon Manners

Primary Care Liaison, NADT