Service Users meeting in Milton Keynes

[Jimmy]

Hey Guys

I will be attending a SU's meeting on Thursday, alongside those responsible for the drug and alcohol services in MK. The aim of the meeting is to: contribute to the development of new alcohol and drug treatment strategies in MK; to improve the current treatment system in MK; to link with other similar groups in the South East region. The agenda includes a discussion concerning: services currently in place; what re-tendering means for current service users; the new treatment system; taking part in the selection process.

Although I have constructed my own list of points to get across, suggestions from Alliance staff and forum users would be greatly appreciated. Also, as this is my first SU's meeting with commissioners in attendance, I would be grateful for some advice on what to expect.

Kind regards to all

[Jimmy]

Hi - I'll be off to this meeting in a couple of hours. I must admit, I am feeling quite nervous and have no idea of what to expect. The aim and agenda indicates that change is underway; the question is, what sort of change? It is good that service users are involved in this process, but whether or not our input will make a difference - who knows. My personal aim is to make a good case for the futilility of time-limited treatment with substitute medication due to the individual nature of addiction. As I said earlier, any advice/comments would be much appreciated, but understand that people do not always have advice to give. I will post the results of the meeting later on today.

I would just like to say a thankyou to all who post on this forum - knowing help/advice is only a post/phone call away is of great comfort.

Thanks

[Ursula]

Sorry for missing this when you first posted it.  I've not got much to add to Peter's and my posts about the recent NTA announcements, but good luck with it.  I think that it's brilliant that you're going along and standing up against arbitrary time limits.  Good luck!

[Jimmy]

Thanks Ursula

Hopefully I will have the opportunity to get my points across. It is a meeting for current and ex service users, therefore the 12 step brigade may well be out in force - not that there is anything wrong with 12 step programmes for those who respond in a positive way to this type of recovery; just hope I'm not heavily outnumbered!!

[Ursula]

There's nothing wrong with anything that works for anyone.  What we need is a system which offers the freedom for individuals to choose their own path.

[OP8S]

On the subject of S.U. meetings which is something that I have never seen advertised or been invited to by my service provider ( I think the case is that they don't have them ) would it be appropriate for me to start the ball rolling by asking if I could put a flyer up to see if anybody would like to set one up with me in my area? Generaly you don't get to meet up with other S.U's at the clinic, but you meet people in the pharmacy, on the streets & in each others houses where you hear titbits of info that the service provider has told different clients which enevitably ends up in a game of chinese whispers. Last week somebody told me that because of our island status that they were going to experiment with pharmacuetical brown that you could smoke!...I'l not hold my breath....but obviously would if that was the case Personally I think that they are frightened of placing us all in a room together, in my opinion though it would empower the service users & give them a bit of insight into what treatments we think work best. what I am wondering though is do I need to get permission from the head of my service provider 1st?

[Ursula]

You don't need permission from anybody, but it might be easier to do with your service provider or DAAT's support (they can provide venues and help in advertising a group's existence).  Good luck!

[OP8S]

Thanks Ursala, I work in Care & I know that as a service we have to provide service user's meetings for those in residential care ( by law ). As far as I can see my service provider is providing me with care so there should be very little difference in the policies. Substance user's are a very vulnerable group of people in todays society. If only the man on the street could see the similarities!

[Jimmy]

There's nothing wrong with anything that works for anyone.  What we need is a system which offers the freedom for individuals to choose their own path.

Having just returned from the SU's + commissioners meeting, I must say I was quite impressed and now have considerable hope for the future. There was a good mix of SU's present; some on scripts, some abstinent. The striking thing was, animosity between the two groups was non-existent; without exeption all present expressed the view that, central to a quality substance misuse service, is access to a wide range of treatment options and a focus on the individual. The commissioner appeared quite shocked to hear people relaying their fears concerning time-limited treatment and assured us that forcing people off thier scripts is not part of the plan; he recognized that such a move would likely have disasterous consequences. Nevertheless, from March next year changes will be made to existing services. His idea is to have a greater range of options under one roof, with links to housing, employment and other vital aspects of recovery. The new services are to be developed with the SU in mind - hence this meeting. Moreover, he would like to hold similar meetings on a regular (monthly) basis and SU's will form part of the panel that decides whether or not a particular option should be given the go ahead. At the end he took everyones phone number and promised to inform my current service provider that enforced reductions and arbitary time limits are definately not part of the plan. So, all in all a success - I just hope he can be trusted to walk the walk.

[Ursula]

Sounds promising though!  There are quite a lot of places that can't even be arsed to talk the talk, so I'd be hopeful if I were you. 

[OP8S]

Maybe we shouldn't be too cynical, I wonder if when you talk about "the commisioner" you are referring to what we have in Scotland as " The Scottish Care Commision ", who as you know should in my eyes cover all aspect of care including substance users. Just now in Scotland as far as residential care, whether it's for drug rehab, older people's services or adults with learning disabilities the focus is very much on person centered care & the commisioner carries a lot of weight behind his belt. He can make unannounced visits & even close a service down if he thinks that there is enough bad practice going on ( though I doubt he would ever let a service get so bad that he had to because of the impracalities ). Individualism, Choice & Person Centered Care are all buzzwords at the moment in social care & I would expect that every type of service would be the same. I think I will ask my drugs worker if the clinic I attend is policed by the same Care Commision that applies to residential situations. If that was the case then surely the same principles & policies would apply? If you had a reasonable complaint about the care you were recieving then a compliant to the commisioner is only a phone call away. Something serious like the current situation in Cambridge could not be swept under the carpet if he had 28 formally completed complaints forms on his desk. I will definetly look into this further, though being North of the border it may not have any relevance to England & Wales, worth asking though.

[Jimmy]

Maybe we shouldn't be too cynical, I wonder if when you talk about "the commisioner" you are referring to what we have in Scotland as " The Scottish Care Commision ",

As far as I could gather, the commissioner who chaired yesterdays meeting is responsible solely for buying in new and improving existing drug and alcohol services in MK. He said he had recently been given a 'heap of money' to spend on services and, as we (the service users) are best placed to indicate what might work and vice versa, our involvment is considered vital. He came across as an understanding bloke who recognized the prejudice and discrimination that many SU's face and is doing his utmost to ensure we are treated in the same way as any other 'vulnerable' group. Obviously I am delighted......although it is difficult not to feel a little cynical.

[OP8S]

I see,  your commisioner is solely in charge of drug services & not care services overall. Might be a good thing ( if he's properly trained )? All the same if you have a complaint to make about a service I reckon he would be the man to complain to & if you,ve already struck up a rapport with him he could be a good person to know. I wonder, did he have any policies/guidlines with him or was he just there to pick your brains?

[derek d j]

Something serious like the current situation in Cambridge could not be swept under the carpet if he had 28 formally completed complaints forms on his desk.

Curiously, after three months of contemptuously ignoring all user proteests, the sp here is showing a sudden anxiety to discuss our 'care plans' with us   .
It may be entirely coincidental that a formal complaint, drafted with Alliance help and signed by nine victims of "the ignorance", arrived on their desk last week.
Users are subject to all kinds of 'rules'; they may not tell you, but so are dsps.
They're meant to exist for your benefit; if they decide you exist for theirs, having a user group already in place will ensure you don't spend months trying to learn your 'rights' and where to turn, as we did.
Good luck.

[Jimmy]

Brilliant news Derick - I'm really pleased to hear you have turned a corner and sincerly hope this mess is soon resolved once and for all. It just goes to show how effective user group action can be. Out of interest and because it may help others (including me) in the future, what has the last few months taught you in terms of 'user rights' and 'where to turn'?

Good luck