New Brixton drug treatment centre officially opens

20/11/2008

CAPTION: Members of the partnership team who helped to make the Lorraine Hewitt House idea, a reality.

A new centre for alcohol and drug users that was officially launched on Tuesday has already helped more than 500 drink and drug users in Lambeth since opening its doors this year.

The official opening of Lorraine Hewitt House in Brighton Terrace, Brixton, which has been running since February this year, marked the result of more than three years of partnership work to improve and increase the availability of treatment services in the borough.

The ceremony was attended by many of the staff, service users, councillors and local residents who have been involved in making the idea of an integrated treatment centre in Brixton a reality. These included the Council’s Drug Action Team, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, the Primary Care Trust, Lambeth Police and the Brighton Terrace Steering Group.

Patients at the centre are given support to help break their addictions, including the prescription of 'detoxes', substitute medication and psychological support. Staff are also on hand to help with any other health problems.

A plaque in memory of Lorraine Hewitt was also unveiled at the event. Lorraine, who the centre is named after, was the previous manager of Lambeth's drug treatment centre when it was based in Stockwell and was admired and well-loved by both colleagues and clients of the service for her pioneering work around drug treatment and harm reduction.

Lorraine’s partner Tony Moore said, “It is such a wonderful tribute because it is not just a building but much more about the ethos about treatment that Loraine believed so strongly in, which especially will improve the lives of those in Lambeth which she held so dear.”

A current service user for at the centre said: "When you've got an addiction there is often a very small window of time where you have a realisation moment that you need help. The first time I got the courage to go and ask for help I was interviewed then told to wait 28 days for an appointment. It was two years until I tried again to get help.

“What is so unique about Lorraine Hewitt House is that there is an open door (and) anyone, without any referral from a doctor or hospital, can walk in off the street, ask for help and they will be seen the same day.”

Despite concerns from local residents that the centre could lead to increased anti-social behaviour, preliminary results from a questionnaire to residents show that 75 per cent feel the same or safer in the area.

In response to residents' concerns, the council and police took a number of steps to reduce the possibility of increased antisocial behaviour around the centre. These include an additional named Police Community Support Officer to patrol the area and liaise with the treatment centre, repairs to the CCTV system, upgraded street lighting on Brighton Terrace and new gating systems around nearby flats.

Lambeth First partners taking action

• In the current year, 2,051 drug and alcohol users were engaged in treatment provided by Lambeth partners.
• The treatment available in the borough ranges from GP screening to open access services, structured community-based specialist services (such as prescribing, counselling and day care), inpatient detoxification units and residential rehabilitation.
• Lambeth Council, the Primary Care Trust and other key stakeholders put together an annual Drug Treatment Plan which has been agreed with the National Treatment Agency. This year's plan outlines a borough-wide approach to tackling this issue, and includes reducing harm, developing treatment workforce, effective treatment, better engagement with local communities, enhanced care pathways, better partnership working, increased treatment options, service user and carer involvement.
• South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provides mental health and substance misuse services in Croydon, Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham and substance misuse services for people in Bexley, Greenwich and Bromley. It also provides national specialist services to people from across the UK and has the most extensive portfolio of mental health services in the UK.
  

 

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