Friday, 09 May 2008 09:00

Argyll and Bute Council and NHS Highland have joined forces to form an integrated health and social care addiction team.

The Argyll and Bute Addiction Team (ABAT) will result in specialist social work and nursing staff working together to provide a high quality service to people affected by their own or another’s use of alcohol and/or illegal drugs.

New staff are being recruited to increase existing staffing levels in Oban and Kintyre, as well as to develop a new service in Helensburgh - prior to this new development service users from Helensburgh had to travel to Dumbarton to access health addiction services.

Services will also continue to operate from locations in Rothesay and Dunoon and a new post of consultant psychiatrist (addictions) will be recruited to enhance the services delivered by the team.

Councillor Donald McIntosh, Argyll and Bute Council's Spokesperson for Social Services, said: "I am delighted that this valuable service has been launched. This new integrated team will allow service users easier access to a wider range of services than those currently available.

"It will be extremely beneficial to people living throughout Argyll and Bute who need expert support in relation to their own or a loved one's misuse of alcohol and/or drugs and I hope that people take advantage of the wonderful services that the ABAT team provide."

David Greenwell, Argyll and Bute Community Health Partnership’s Service Lead Nurse for Addictions, said: “The addiction team will provide a more responsive and co-ordinating service for those individuals across Argyll and Bute who require to access the service. The service will also meet the wide ranging needs of those individuals requiring assistance.”

Superintendent Raymond Park, chairperson of ADAT, said: "The ADAT is delighted that NHS Highland and Argyll and Bute Council have taken this innovative step to deliver an integrated range of services to people with addiction related problems.

"Such services keep individuals, families and communities safer and stronger. With the appropriate support people can make great changes in their lives and become valued members of their communities again."

Ends

Notes to Editors: ABAT has been developed to work with service users with a range of complex needs and therefore can only accept referrals from other professional services i.e. people cannot refer themselves directly to the service.

Many people with addiction related issues do not require high input and will be directed towards the existing community services offered by specialist agencies such as Councils on Alcohol and Drugs, Encompass and Community Drug Rehabilitation Projects. These agencies are very happy to see people referred either by other professional services or people who contact the agencies directly to discuss their own or another’s use of alcohol and/or drugs.