London to open first dedicated detox unit for homeless people
London’s first dedicated detox unit for homeless people is placed to open on 14 June towards saving the lives of a few of the city’s most vulnerable people and supply them with a method from the streets for good.
The Addiction Clinical Care Suite, based at St Thomas’ Hospital in Lambeth, will plug a known gap in treatment facilities for homeless people dealing with serious alcohol and substance dependence. Its location in a hospital setting will enable patients to get the wide range of care needed to treat the complexness of health issues facing those living on London’s streets.
This vital cool product has been provided thanks to a unique pan-London partnership among the capital’s leading public bodies. Public Health England London led the development of the work with the Greater London Authority, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and London’s borough councils after funding was awarded by central government.
As well as supporting individuals who sleep rough to safely withdraw from alcohol and drugs as part of the first steps inside a treatment journey, the service will also provide peer support, groups, and activities alongside a range of other initiatives concentrating on giving up smoking, healthy eating, essential screening, vaccinations and mental well-being. It offers an all natural support programme, with use of psychiatrists and psychologists to help patients begin a recovery from life on the streets and harmful substance use.
The intention is to meet immediate needs while providing opportunities for very long term change, contributing to ending rough sleeping and tackling entrenched health inequalities.
The service is funded via a combination of grants in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and native authority treatment budgets. Referrals will come from across London and local authorities will ensure that people based on the service have somewhere suitable to go after their detox period has been completed.
This may be the first of several new pan-London substance misuse services because of open this year thanks to the PHE-led partnership and commissioning from the Town of London. These initiatives can give people who sleep rough a life-saving chance to access valuable treatment services that have been made to meet their needs and particular vulnerabilities.
Alison Keating, head of Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco at PHE London, said: “We're delighted to happen to be in a position to add the creation of this fantastic new unit that will provide life-changing and life-saving treatments with a of London’s most vulnerable homeless people. Joint dealing with some of the city’s leading organisations has helped us to provide this avenue from the streets and from addiction. We'll still work across organisational boundaries to build about this innovation making a real and sustained impact on London’s most vulnerable populations.”
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I am happy to be supporting this landmark new service, providing vital support to some of the most vulnerable Londoners. The window for helping individuals with addictions is often incredibly small , ensuring immediate access to appropriate detoxification and treatment could be life changing. The health issues experienced by people who are homeless in many cases are complex and entrenched, there aren't any quick fixes. Therefore, it is vital we continue to invest in addiction support and substance misuse therapies to deal with these life-threatening health inequalities.”
