‘ A GOOD SUPPORT WORKER CAN CHANGE THE GAME’
Zoe Jenkins is addiction development officer in homelessness services at The Salvation Army. She gives us her perspective
‘ People are often at their lowest point when they come to us,’ he says.‘ If people are actively using, there’ s no punishment; no taking away the script. Instead they work with the person and ask‘ what can we do to support you more? What wraparound service can we give you? What other agencies do we need to get involved to help you through this?’
His client group experiences particular stigma around homelessness, which he says makes him feel quite emotional:‘ I see service users struggle so much in reaching out to GPs and doctors, and it’ s just so wrong. I have conversations with GPs and their attitude is just shocking at times. It shouldn’ t be an uphill battle every time our client wants to see a GP or engage with the right services.’
‘ I see service users struggle so much in reaching out to GPs and doctors, and it’ s just so wrong. I have conversations with GPs and their attitude is just shocking at times.’
FOR PEOPLE ACCESSING DRUG AND ALCOHOL TREATMENT AND SUPPORT, there are huge disparities across the board. The process can be long-drawnout with many hurdles to face, and sometimes people are waiting weeks, if not months, before they’ re in receipt of a script. Keeping motivation up and keeping someone engaged for that time can be really hard work for everyone involved.
Criminal justice services tend to offer a more rapid access prescribing pathway and some localities offer quicker routes for people with complex needs, but even then it can be weeks.
I understand clinical policies need to be followed, but the timescales are a big hurdle. It’ s like going to the gym for the first time and being turned away because you’ ve got to wait till next month to have a gym induction or you’ ve not got the right shoes – you’ re probably not going to go again because your motivation has been affected or you feel really let down, so you have a McDonald’ s instead.
You may have to provide several positive urine tests, attend appointments, meet several nurses and doctors and be told to come here or go there. For someone in active addiction, timekeeping can be really difficult and constantly meeting new faces is too daunting. Unless they’ ve got a support worker to encourage them and really orchestrate that, some people never get off the starting block.
Some people have fantastic relationships with their workers at drug and alcohol support services. But many don’ t even know their workers or may have only met them for a real light touch –‘ How are you? Everything ok? Cool, see you next month.’ It’ s not always, but this
does seem to be the majority. I suppose it depends on the person and how much they want to engage, but I also think it’ s down to the relationship and how much a worker remains flexible and resilient to poor engagement.
The multiagency approach differs from service to service, and staying informed as a support worker really does depend on where you are. Some service providers will share appointment times with you, follow up with calls and emails and check in with allocated workers regularly, which works really well. Others don’ t, and ultimately the service user ends up missing out on vital support.
Some people don’ t know what day of the week it is because their addiction is so encompassing, so having a support worker who keeps tabs on you and takes you to and from appointments changes the game. It helps eliminate those barriers. I’ ve known of people being removed from waiting lists or taken off their OST after missing an appointment they were told about four or five weeks ago. Had their support worker known, this may not have happened.
For some people, thinking outside of the box and offering flexible working arrangements is what’ s needed, especially when someone first reaches out.
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