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‘With dual diagnosis, they seem to have it arse about face.’ By Charlie Radbourne.


Reported by Charlie

Published on Friday, February 19th, 2021

Healthcare Access Substance Use
Blogs

‘With dual diagnosis, they seem to have it arse about face.’ By Charlie Radbourne.


Written by Charlie

Published on Friday, February 19th, 2021

Healthcare Access

Substance Use

By Charlie

 

With dual diagnosis, they seem to have it arse about face.

NHS/mental health services, say you have to sort out the addiction problem, before they can sort out the mental health problem. Strange, but I thought, by its own definition, addiction, is a mental health problem..

Most addiction root causes, are from a mental health problem. So you can’t fix the addiction first, without fixing the mental health problem.

I can understand, to a degree of what they are saying, although I don’t agree with it. That people with addictions, cause disruptions, in the waiting rooms , to other patients, concerns about safety of staff and patients.

There is an easy solution to this, by following another system used by GP surgeries, in many town and cities.

Then they go on about the cost.

It can be cost effective, with a little vision and cooperation.

In many towns and cities, primary care, do a day clinic, at the day centre, just one day a week, with fantastic results.

See, surgeries feel uncomfortable with addicts and homeless people, coming into there waiting rooms and addicts / homeless persons, feel uncomfortable going into them, because they feel unwelcome and the stigma, that follows them.

So the day clinics work well, because they feel more comfortable. They are more likely to attend and get help.

There are some visionaries in parts of Birmingham, that send out psychiatric nurses/practitioners with outreach, so rough sleepers, can have access to mental health care. Hats off to them.

An easy solution, is to get mental health services, to follow primary care, in opening clinics in day centres, just one day a week.

The rewards of having people accurately diagnosed and getting the correct help, would have a fantastic knock on effect for their addictions, their well-being and their housing situation.

Again you will have people going on about the cost.

If you are giving people the correct type of help, getting there recovery on a sound footing, targeting them as individuals, person centric.

The possible saving on this, if you give direct care, then.

They have less time in primary care.

They call out ambulances, less often.

They spend less time in A+E.

They spend less time, in trouble with the police.

The saving from all these different services, is far greater than the cost of day clinics.

The blue light project (alcoholchange.org.uk) have some great figures, on these savings.

Just take a moment of your time, and think.

If you had two severe medical conditions and they refused to treat one of them…How would you feel?

Written by Charlie


Charlie Radbourne has more than six years, peer support and advocacy experience. Sitting on many service user forums and local authority committees. Due to mental health problems, coming under CMHT and the crisis team, Charlie spent eight months sleeping rough and in the local night shelter, then four years in a hostel / supported accommodation.

Read all of Charlie's articles

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Healthcare Access Substance Use