The Alcohol Pathfinder Service is a new service working across several organisations in Southampton.
The aim is to help more people who are drinking harmfully or dependently to receive treatment for their alcohol use, and to support positive changes in their lives to prevent relapse.
The service is made up from a team of nurses, support workers and administration staff who are working together with existing services to find new pathways into treatment and to help develop more efficient alcohol treatment services in the city. We consist of staff from the following organisations: Society of St James; Solent NHS; Southern Health NHS; and University Hospital Southampton NHS. We are also working closely with existing alcohol services which include: Options Counselling and New Road.
Community Wrap Around
Dealing with an alcohol problem involves more than just stopping drinking. It often requires a change in the way a person spends their time and a move away from previous activities and places.
The Alcohol Pathfinder Service offers a community wrap around service to help people make this change. We are developing services and meaningful activities for clients to support a higher quality of life. We can also help to organise volunteering, education and training opportunities that suit the individual.
Nick on board Tenacious – One of the many community wrap around services to help people make a change.
Frequent Attendees
Frequent Attendees are people who are regularly attending health services such as the Emergency Department for problems related to alcohol. A team of support workers and a coordinator are working with frequent attendees to provide them with intensive support, with the aim of reducing the number of hospital attendances.
Acute Sector
Specialist nurse support is available for inpatients at Southampton General Hospital and can provide screening for levels of alcohol use, information and advice about safe drinking. They can arrange to follow up clients in nurse led outpatient clinics, and refer to other services to support continued treatment after they have been discharged from the ward.
Primary Care
We have a dedicated Primary Care Alcohol Liaison Worker who is working closely with GPs and other primary care staff to help identify people who are drinking harmfully or dependently. We are also developing new direct access routes into community alcohol treatment services.
Outreach
The Pathfinder team are also exploring new routes into treatment from other areas with the aim of improving access to alcohol services.
Referral Criteria
The Alcohol Pathfinder Service accept referrals from project workers with clients who are:
18 years old or over
Living in Southampton
In treatment or willing to start treatment to address their alcohol use
or
having had treatment, are looking for support to remain in control of their alcohol use.
In some circumstances, such as the Frequent Attendee service, referrals may be taken for clients who are not seeking treatment.
If a client is currently in treatment for their alcohol use in Southampton they can be referred by their keyworker to the appropriate Pathfinder team.
Referrals for clients who are not currently in treatment within the city should be made via Options on 02380 630219
Contact Us
If you would like to speak to a member of the team about the service or to discuss a referral, please feel free to contact us -
Community Wrap Around Services
Community Wrap Around Development
Karen Ringwald on 07561183934
karen.ringwald@ssj.org.uk
Frequent Attendees
New Road on 023 80717171
Primary Care Liaison
Bob Riddle on 023 80716542
Acute Sector
Pathfinders on 023 80795721
The Alcohol Pathfinder Service is a pilot project running until March 2013. It is being coordinated by staff from the Alcohol Day Detoxification Service.
If you have any queries or are unsure where to refer to, please feel free to contact us on the numbers below:
Phone: 023 8071 6542 Fax: 023 8071 6541 Email: Soc-pct.pathfinders@nhs.net
Nick’s Case Study.
I first became aware of the Alcohol Pathfinder Service from Debbie Duffy, the Alcohol Dependency Clinical Nurse Specialist, who visited me while I was recovering from acute alcohol withdrawal at the General Hospital in January. At that point I had nothing to look forward to and my future looked bleak. Debbie arranged for a Pathfinder Support Worker to call me, but I had no idea how crucial that would be in helping me build a better life.
I met with Jacqui for coffee at a local cafe for an informal chat. I felt nervous and low, as I had just been told that I would have to wait 6 weeks for Counselling through another service provider. Right from the start Jacqui put me at ease and I felt comfortable talking to her. She showed a genuine interest in what I had to say and it was reassuring to be listened to. She told me about some activities that I could get involved in, and we arranged to meet the following week. For the first time in ages I felt hopeful and excited!
Since meeting Jacqui, and later Karen, I have been involved in helping to set up a Peer Support Group, attended regular meetings, been on a self esteem workshop run by Women’s Wisdom, done maintenance on The Jubilee Sailing Trust’s tall-ship ‘Tenacious’, and mentoring others. I have a certificate in Everyday First Aid through the British Red Cross, and am doing a Level 2 NVQ in ‘Preparing to Work in Adult Social Care’. I plan to do Level 3 soon after!
I’m joining a music club every Tuesday from next week, and I start a volunteer role working with Adults with Learning Disabilities from Monday, which will coincide with the NVQ.
Through Pathfinder, I have made new friends, grown self esteem and confidence, learnt new skills and I look forward to the future, while making the most of every day!
