Substance misuse treatment interventions, including for drugs, alcohol and dependence forming behaviours (gambling, gaming), are usually offered by local addiction services within a model that necessitates regular attendance in person, by telephone or video call. Some argue that a pre-requisite for successful treatment is motivation to change behaviour and that the ability to attend appointments is a proxy measure of a patient’s motivation to change. The argument goes that if a patient cannot attend the addiction service in a regular, timely manner then they are unlikely to benefit from the psychosocial treatments offered by the service. Failure to attend regular appointments is sometimes formulated as “they are just not ready for treatment yet”. This session will explore options for delivering substance misuse treatments outside the traditional drug treatment clinic setting through collaboration with other health and social care services. Three speakers will describe treatment models targeting populations experiencing 1) rough sleeping/homeless, 2) sexual health service populations, and 3) student health clinic populations. People using these services will then provide their own view of these models. The session will conclude with a discussion of treatment delivery options and what outreach models may have to offer for people with substance use or behavioural addictions.
Chair: Professor Owen Bowden-Jones, Central North West London NHS Foundation Trust and University College London
Substance misuse treatment in populations experiencing rough sleeping or homelessness - Dr Emmert Roberts, MRC Clinical Research Fellow, King’s College London
Substance misuse treatment in student populations - Dr Joshua Buckman, Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, University College London and Sophie Hytner, Counselling Psychologist Central North West London NHS Foundation Trust
