The provision of a Residential Substance Use Medically Managed Detoxification Service

Description

The purpose of the residential medically managed detoxification service is to provide a safe, evidence based,effective detoxification and stabilisation programme to aid the recovery and reintegration of substance misuserswith complex needs. Within Sefton Integrated Substance Misuse Treatment Service, the first-line detoxification offer is communitydetoxification within the adult treatment service. Where increased risk is indicated, residential in-patientdetoxification may be the safest and most effective treatment plan. Medical input and supervision can beprovided by a community GP overseeing the detoxification plan. However, medically managed inpatient detoxification is an important treatment option for service users who: • Have not benefited from previous formal community-based and/or medically supervised inpatientdetoxification • Need 24 hour specialist substance misuse medical and/or nursing care because of significant co-morbidphysical or mental health problems • Require complex polydrug detoxification, for example concurrent detoxification from alcohol orbenzodiazepines • Are experiencing significant vulnerabilities or social problems that will limit the benefit of community-baseddetoxification • Have complex needs that require admission for medical stabilisation. The particular aims of the service are • To provide a safe period of medically managed and monitored (by exception) withdrawal and detoxification, with24 hour medical supervision • To encourage, educate, motivate and enable realistic lifestyle changes • To ensure that treatment gains are maintained by developing robust links with aftercare support available withinthe community, including mental health services • To address the safeguarding and welfare needs of vulnerable adult service users or the children of substancemisusing parents, ensuring that needs are identified and planned for prior to a person’s discharge from inpatientcare • To ensure that the principles of harm minimisation underpin the delivery of all interventions in order to reducethe harm caused by drugs and alcohol on individuals, thereby contributing to a reduction in drug and alcoholrelated deaths and the transmission of blood borne viruses.