Harm Reduction Service, Brighton

Who we are

No 11 is the main gateway service in the city for substance misuse. It provides needle exchange, paraphernalia, condoms and advice and information. Anybody can enter this service and ask for advice and information on any substance issue. Abstinence time is provided on four mornings a week to ensure there are facilities for those who have stopped using and are in need of ongoing support and those who have stopped using and feel they are tempted to use again. Brief interventions are provided for these clients. Friends, families and carers of substance misusers are also encouraged to utilise this service.

The Open Access service is also the main point of contact for initial assessment in order for people to enter the treatment system. Medical intervention is provided daily for people to have their drug injuries treated: to access Hepatitis B vaccinations; and to receive harm reduction advice.

Other services integrated into Open Access include:

• a holding group for those waiting for treatment, filling a gap for alcohol users
• a relapse prevention group
• a peer support group for those leaving treatment
• PATCHED [advice, information and support for friends, families and carers] 
• Drug Interventions Programme
• community substance misuse workers, ensuring that those living in the most deprived areas have easy access to mainstream services
• Satellite sessions, provided by the Rough Sleepers Team, Pathways to Health (auricular acupuncture) and Working Links
• Outreach sessions, provided to some of the high support hostels to offer Needle Exchange and harm reduction advice. A Needle Exchange service goes out with the Rough Sleepers Team on an early morning street shift, providing an out of hours service to one of the groups at high risk of drug related overdose - A training package offered by the Harm Reduction Team to accommodation providers rolled out through Supporting People services 
• Legal high and club drug drop-in every Wednesday from 5-8pm for anyone who wants to get informed and make safer decisions
• Legal high and club drug outreach worker who offers one-to-one support including brief interventions adn structured treatment

The sitting of all of these services under one roof helps maximise access to a smooth care pathway for all of those affected by substances.

Brighton and Hove Health Promotion Advisors, Substance Misuse

The Health Promotion team aims to support professionals and the public by providing them with information and training around substance misuse issues. We aim to support professionals working with, and individuals and families affected by, substance use through the promotion of partnership working, local services, national and local campaigns, projects and existing support networks.

The team provides training across all aspects of drug and alcohol use and misuse to Tier one and Tier two workers, in partnership with other service providers in the city. Please have a look at the Health Promotion site; for details of our courses.

We coordinate the Drug and Alcohol Workers Group and publicise the e-newsletter every six weeks.