VETERANS
VETERAN VOICES
Across Change Grow Live ’ s services we ’ re continuing to support an increasing number of veterans who ’ ve been affected by their service and the return to civilian life , and who are struggling with alcohol or drugs . We know that many veterans affected by substance misuse don ’ t know about the specialist support available to them , and are often unable to reach out and seek help .
Since signing the Armed Forces Covenant – which aims to ensure veterans are treated fairly – in 2021 , we ’ ve been committed to making sure that veterans can access support that understands their needs , from launching a working group co-produced by veterans , to developing new referral pathways into treatment with the NHS . Now , we ’ re extremely pleased to be working with Tom Harrison House , the UK ’ s only residential rehabilitation service specifically for people who ’ ve served in the armed forces .
Tom Harrison House will now be a part of Change Grow Live ’ s national framework for inpatient
Listening to people with lived experience is vital when providing support for veterans with substance issues , says Chris Barnes
detoxification and residential rehabilitation . Residential detox and rehabilitation services can play a life-changing part in people ’ s drug or alcohol treatment journey , and our national framework ensures that the people who use our services have access to the highest quality of care .
Tom Harrison House was founded by Paula Gunn , whose grandfather was Tom Harrison , a decorated Royal Navy veteran . Both Paula and her grandfather have been passionate advocates for supporting veterans with substance misuse , and Tom Harrison House makes this support a reality with a programme specially tailored to their needs . The focus of Tom Harrison House is helping veterans with the loss of social support , connection and camaraderie they can experience when leaving the armed forces . The support they receive at Tom Harrison House is designed to help them rediscover their purpose and meaning . Overall , it provides a space that understands and accommodates the unique lived experience of the residents who stay there .
Partnerships such as this , as well as the development of specialist pathways , can play a crucial role in breaking down barriers to treatment and ensuring more people get the right support for them . There ’ s already so much support out there for veterans – it ’ s up to us to ensure they know that these services exist , and that they are able to access them as they need to .
If any providers of support for veterans would like to work with us , we ’ d be delighted to hear from you .
Supported by Liverpool John Moores University , we plan to undertake and publish research that will help the entire sector better understand the barriers faced by veterans engaging with services . We ’ ve already shared insights with policy makers and the Royal British Legion , and will continue to do so in the future . We ’ ve worked closely with veterans who use our services to coproduce accredited training that raises awareness of their specific support needs and the services available to them , and through all of this our work has been informed and driven by the voices of people with lived experience . Veterans who access our services have been a vital co-production partner , and our decision to sign the Armed Forces Covenant was based on their feedback . As a result of developments such as these , we ’ ve seen a 20 per cent increase in veterans using our services in the last 12 months alone .
Improving treatment outcomes , reducing drug related harm and death , and increasing the number of people in treatment are at the heart of the UK ’ s ten-year drug strategy . The most effective way we can achieve this as a sector is to listen and respond to the voices of those affected by drug and alcohol use .
If any providers of support for veterans would like to work with us , we ’ d be delighted to hear from you . If you ’ d like to find out more , please contact our veterans support working group : veteransupportworkinggroup @ cgl . org . uk
Chris Barnes is a veteran and national service user lead at Change Grow Live
Jason Salmon | Dreamstime
16 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • JUNE 2023 WWW . DRINKANDDRUGSNEWS . COM