Tag: substance misuse

NHS Lothian’s LEAP programme hires ‘peer bridgers’ to ease access to rehab services

The Lothians & Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (LEAP) has become the first rehabilitation service in Scotland to hire people with lived experience to bridge the gap between community treatment and rehab.

LEAP, run by NHS Lothian and partners, is the only therapeutic community rehabilitation for alcohol and other drug dependencies offered by the NHS in Scotland.

Before the launch of this programme, the service was supported by volunteers with addiction and recovery experience but now officially employees six Peer Bridgers.

Peer Bridgers are people with lived experience of addiction and recovery whose role is to support others through rehabilitation and help improve outcomes. 

Recruitment began earlier this year, with the most recent bridger joining in June 2023.

Phil Hayes (above, right) is one of the new Peer Bridgers now employed by LEAP.

Phil suffered from substance misuse issues earlier in his life but, thanks to a community programme, moved into recovery over 20 years ago.

Since then, he spent several years learning about the behaviours that led to his own issues around addiction.

Phil said: “I think society in general views recovery as either unattainable or a continual hard slog of fighting your inner demons day in, day out. I want to be able to show people that isn’t the case.

“With the right support and guidance, as well as some honest hard work, anyone can move completely into recovery and be both happy and of value within their wider community.

“The peer bridging project allows me, and the rest of the team, to engage with people from the moment they decide to change their lives.

“We can provide continuity of support and guidance for them to build a life for themselves outside of addiction.”

Recently published research has shown that residential rehabilitation programmes, like LEAP, are effective in reducing the use of substances and have a positive impact on the overall health and quality of life of those with substance use issues.

Research also shows that positive changes in behaviour after residential rehabilitation can be maintained over time.

David McCartney, Clinical Lead for LEAP, said: “Tackling Scotland’s drug and alcohol-related deaths and improving outcomes from substance misuse treatments, including residential rehabilitation, is a national priority.

“LEAP is a unique programme in Scotland. In other areas, the road to rehab can be much more complicated so we’re very lucky in Lothian to have this service.

“There are few people in Scotland whose lives are untouched by the harms of addiction, whether experienced by individuals, their families, friends or colleagues – addiction affects us all.

“We support our service- users through medical and psychosocial interventions within a therapeutic community setting, giving individuals an opportunity to heal from trauma and addiction and continuing to support them after treatment.”

LEAP is part of the services provided by the Addiction Treatment and Recovery Care Directorate in NHS Lothian and is delivered in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council, the Cyrenians, Encompass and Alcohol and Drug Partnerships.

The service is funded thanks to both Scottish Government as well as the Alcohol and Drug Partnerships.

More than a quarter of Scottish families are concerned about substance use

More than a quarter of residents living in Scotland are concerned about a loved one’s drug and alcohol use during the pandemic, a new survey has uncovered 

Drug and alcohol use has impacted the lives of millions of people living in the UK. In England and Wales, it’s estimated that 3.2 million people had taken drugs in the last year alone. 

The new Drug and Alcohol Survey from Delamere, has uncovered the regions and cities that are most concerned about a loved one’s drug or alcohol use. 

The UK Drug and Alcohol Use Survey 2021

According to the survey data, Scotland was the location with the sixth-highest concern for drug and substance abuse. 26% of the region reported being concerned about a friend or family member’s drinking or drug use during the pandemic – that’s more than 1 in 4 people! 

The biggest worry was alcohol, with one in seven Brits saying that in the last year they have been concerned with a loved one’s drinking. Men are almost three times (32%) more likely to be worried about how drinking or substance abuse is affecting their lives, compared to women where 24% reported feeling concerned.

  • Over a third of people in the UK (36%) consumed drugs over the last 12 months 
  • 22% of adults in Britain increased their alcohol consumption during the pandemic 
  • Prescription drug misuse is on the rise, with 1 in 10 overusing prescribed medication
  • Cannabis is the most commonly used drug in the UK, with a 7% usage in the last year 
  • Brighton was the drug hotspot of the UK, with the highest rate for three drugs 

England and Wales have seen a record number of drug-related deaths during the pandemic in 2020, a total number of 4,561 deaths related to drug poisoning were registered. The new Drug and Alcohol Survey from Delamere, the private rehab clinic, has uncovered the prevalence of drug and alcohol misuse in the UK in a post-pandemic world. 

The addiction experts surveyed 2,000 adults living in the UK on their alcohol and drug consumption over the last 12 months to determine the impact of the pandemic on usage. 

Despite pubs, bars being closed for around 31 weeks in 2020, the pandemic brought an increase to the nation’s drinking habits. The survey found that one in four (22%) of adults had increased their alcohol consumption in the last year. 

Despite the nation living under lockdown restrictions, the findings uncovered that 49% of UK residents had consumed alcohol in the last twelve months alone and 36% had taken drugs. 

It’s no secret that the coronavirus pandemic and resulting shutdown of social interaction last year caused upheaval in the mental wellbeing of people across the UK. Cannabis has become a feature in many people’s lives during the lockdown, with 7% of the country using it in the last year, making it the most commonly used drug in the UK. 

Although most people take prescription medications responsibly, misuse is becoming a health concern for specialists in the United Kingdom. The survey discovered that one in ten UK residents have overused prescription medication outside of prescriptions. 

A fifth of UK respondents had purchased prescription drugs rather than obtaining them via a GP, with 7% saying they had ordered the medication through the dark web. The biggest prescription problem was found in Wales, London, West Midlands and Edinburgh. 

Experts have warned the use of illegal drugs is rising at an alarming rate across the UK, with some of the boroughs most populated areas among the worst affected areas. Brighton was the drug use hotspot in the South, with the highest rate of use for Cocaine, Ketamine and MDMA use. One in five Brighton residents reported having used cocaine, while one in ten reported using MDMA. 

The use of painkillers such as Codeine and Tramadol outside of a prescription was more prevalent in Belfast and Cardiff had the biggest rate of people taking these drugs outside of a prescription. 

Which cities are using drugs the most? 

CityCities that use each drug the mostResidents who have used the drug 
BelfastPainkillers3 in 10
LiverpoolCannabisOver 3 in 10
LiverpoolEcstasy1 in 6
Liverpool“Legal” Highs1 in 10
CardiffPrescription Drugs1 in 6
BrightonKetamine1 in 14
BrightonMDMA1 in 10
BrightonCocaine1 in 5
SheffieldOver the Counter MedicationOver 1 in 6
SheffieldHeroin1 in 20

The use of painkillers such as Codeine and Tramadol outside of a prescription was more prevalent in Belfast and Cardiff had the biggest rate of people taking these drugs outside of a prescription. 

Scotland takes a health approach to substance misuse

Scotland will help people with drug and alcohol addictions by treating wider problems such as housing and employment, and supporting their families. The Scottish Government’s strategy for preventing and reducing drug and alcohol-related harm, Rights, Respect and Recovery, says Scotland will take a health approach to substance misuse and ensure services treat people as individuals. 

This includes diverting drug users out of the criminal justice system where appropriate, and tackling people’s wider issues such as housing, employment and mental health. Families will also get support and be closely involved in their loved one’s treatment. Continue reading Scotland takes a health approach to substance misuse

Emma chooses life to become LEAP’s 500th graduate

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A mother-of-two has achieved a major milestone after becoming the 500th graduate of a pioneering drug  and alcohol detox recovery programme. Emma Hogg has battled her addiction to alcohol to successfully complete the Lothian and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (LEAP).

Continue reading Emma chooses life to become LEAP’s 500th graduate

Getting it right for children affected by parental substance misuse

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There’s still time to book your place on the CAPSM training course running on Tuesday 31 March at Spartans Community Football Academy.

This course is suitable for anyone working with parents with problem substance use, or their children. This will include Early Years Practitioners, schools staff, voluntary sector, adult treatment services, social work, youth and community workers.

See above for more details.