A VITAL ROLE
The latest strain of COVID-19 has raised pressures facing substance misuse services to an all-time high . Martin Blakebrough , CEO at Kaleidoscope , examines the critical role drug and alcohol services can play in the vaccine ’ s roll-out
Looking back to the first
wave , is it possible to know how many of our service users were infected ? We were unable to test them . We saw very few hospitalisations , but who would call the ambulance for those completely isolated ? And if they were to die with drugs in their system , would it be recorded as a COVID death ?
Many people with addictions self-medicate , and as a consequence they are used to feeling below par . The difficulties of booking a test , engaging with a new service and arriving at a test centre on time present mental and physical barriers for our service users that many people cannot understand . Furthermore , testing positive could become another problem among a hundred other issues – why bother ?
The latest wave of infection rippled through our workforce with a number of our frontline workers testing positive , particularly within our residential services . It is difficult to know how our employees contracted the virus as they live and work in multiple settings , but an increased infection rate among staff puts our service users at greater risk .
So how can we protect our community , those who are currently treatment naïve , and anyone not accessing support from our services ? How do we ensure that vulnerable people can access the vaccine and complete both doses ? Through involving clinically trained peers – and most recently through a campaign
involving the ‘ superheroes ’ Vaccine Woman and Naloxone Man – we can make the vaccine accessible where service users already attend , be that their treatment setting or hostel , a disused car park or a squat where people who use drugs have to exist .
By involving keyworkers in the vaccine ’ s rollout – workers already engaged with society ’ s most hard to reach people – we can more easily guarantee they receive the all-important second dose . With an online system that records data in real time , we can contact those hardest to reach and follow up on appointments . We simply cannot have a vaccination rollout that ignores those more vulnerable as a result of negative mental health or substance misuse .
We need imagination to ensure
‘ The difficulties of booking a test , engaging with a new service and arriving at a test centre on time present mental and physical barriers for our service users that many people cannot understand .’ we support those we serve , and must think creatively about support bubbles , online technology and other interventions . It would be sensible to pair service users who live alone in a buddy system where they can support each other , via social media and face-to-face wherever government guidelines permit it is safe to do so . We know that peer support works , and it is available outside of the traditional hours many mainstream services can manage .
A testing and vaccination system that meets our communities ’ individual needs , operating alongside a peer-led support network that protects those most at risk , will give us all a fighting chance .
Martin Blakebrough is chief executive of Kaleidoscope
GET PROTECTED
Staff as well as service users need to embrace the opportunity of a vaccine , says Kim Kaur
I
was worried and anxious about getting the vaccine at first . There seems to be a lot of fear and misconception about the safety of the vaccine on social media and being part of the BAME community I am aware of some of the concerns around the vaccine . However I felt confident in the NHS , in having the vaccine , and showing the BAME community and wider public that this is there to protect people .
It ’ s never easy to receive an injection , but when I attended the clinic , the staff were so well organised , friendly and welcoming which made the whole experience all the easier , the clinic was clean and the process comfortable and painless .
This has made such a massive difference to me personally and professionally , knowing that myself and my colleagues are protected by the vaccine against symptoms that may well have otherwise hindered the vital service we provide to our service users . I would like to thank our NHS for the huge effort they have made in protecting us frontline workers and I would encourage all my colleagues to consider having the vaccine .
Kim Kaur is an outreach worker at Humankind
Juan Roballo / Alamy
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