Herts Drug and Alcohol Recovery Services Improving Lives
In our report Recovery and Reintegration: Voices of Service Users and Carers we found that most respondents involved in our research were very grateful for the support they received from drug and alcohol services.
While this is positive, we have made recommendations about how access to services, recovery and reintegration could be improved. This includes increasing awareness of, and access to, drug and alcohol services, better integration with external services and more support for carers and loved ones.
Why did we do this research?
This work was commissioned by Public Health at Hertfordshire County Council and we worked in collaboration with Viewpoint and Carers in Hertfordshire to hear from people with a lived experience of drug and alcohol services.
Between August and October 2023, we engaged with 75 service users and 22 carers through a series of focus groups and one-to-one interviews to find out about their experiences of recovery and reintegration.
What did people tell us?
Most respondents said they had received a high standard of care from local drug and alcohol services. Key points included:
Accessing Services
- Respondents felt reassured and were put at ease by staff and other service users.
- Most were able to access support within days or weeks.
- The initial awareness of services was low.
- Common barriers to access were transport, location, stigma/shame, privacy and safety.
Experiences of Support
- Most respondents felt there was a high standard of care and staff were supportive and committed.
- 1:1 support and developing personal relationships with staff was valued, alongside peer support.
Reintegration
- Respondents had varied views about reintegration, from sobriety to building identity.
- Support with volunteering, employment and education, plus support with life skills, finances and building relationships were all highly valued.
- Respondents were keen to ensure support continued beyond the service.
Carers’ Experiences
- Respondents felt services could offer more support to carers and loved ones, such as information about treatment programs and the recovery journey.
- Carers who had accessed support groups found them very helpful.
What happens now?
Based on feedback from respondents, we have recommended:
- Increased awareness of existing services for potential service users.
- Practical support to access services such as assistance with travel costs, shorter waiting lists and longer opening times.
- Ensure services are able to support users with their personal reintegration goals.
- Improve collaboration and communication between drug and alcohol services and other external services such as mental health, housing and social services.
- Support carers’ involvement in recovery and ensure they have access to their own support.
During the next few months, we will be working with Public Health at Hertfordshire County Council to address our recommendations. Example initiatives include developing drug and alcohol awareness training, improving access to and collaboration between mental health and drug and alcohol services, identifying opportunities for support for carers and improving access to drug and alcohol services for service users.
“I’d like to thank everyone who responded to the survey and the organisations involved for their support.
I was pleased to hear how Hertfordshire residents had positive experiences of services. That said, the survey also identified areas of improvement, linked to awareness of services, practical access requirements, further support for reintegration, and wider collaboration with different stakeholders.
The findings from this report will help inform our forthcoming Drug and Alcohol strategy. It will also support changes to improve access into treatment and support long-term recovery."
