This locally commissioned service (LCS) supports a multidisciplinary and holistic approach to treatment for opioid dependence in partnership with Camden Integrated Drug and Alcohol service: Change Grow Live (CGL) and the wider drug treatment system.

Usually, patients assessed and stabilised on an opiate substitute medication by CGL, where suitable, will be referred to the GP to receive treatment under this LCS. However, patients can access this LCS directly through the primary care team but joint recovery focused care plan review with the GP and integrated drug and alcohol service will be held every 6 months whilst the patient is in treatment.

This LCS involve (see service specifications for more details):

• treating opioid dependent drug users, with support from the integrated drug and alcohol service, GP with Special Interests (GPSIs) (where commissioned) and appropriate consultant(s).  
• leading a 6 monthly recovery focussed care plan review with maintenance and reducing dose prescribing patients (see 4.19)
• supporting patients to work towards personal recovery and health and wellbeing goals and to access NICE recommended psychosocial interventions through the integrated drug and alcohol service
• undertaking a physical health review of each patient every 12 months
• offering annual testing for blood borne viruses to patients and routine immunisation for hepatitis B to at-risk individuals their partners, families and carers.
• identifying and treating the common complications of drug misuse or refer on to appropriate specialist treatment or healthcare. 
•  providing General Medical Services (GMS) or equivalent for drug users.
• providing harm reduction advice
• prescribing, using best practice, substitute (opiate and non-opiate) drugs or antagonists for maintenance, reduction dose and detoxification 
• making every contact count by promoting and referring to in-practice recovery support through opportunistic assessment and case-finding

Eligibility Criteria:

• Adult patients (18 years old or over) registered with a Camden ICB contracted general practitioner 
• Objectively opioid dependent:
  • clinically assessed/observation of opioid withdrawal symptoms 
  • opioid positive urinalysis (or other near patient testing methods such as oral fluid and/or breath testing, where available with confirmatory urinalysis)

For queries, contact public health via e: ph.lcs@camden.gov.uk cc’ing Esther.Amaefule@camden.gov.uk.

To add to current list of related services:

• Needle Exchange (pharmacy delivered) Health and Wellbeing LCS 
• Supervised Self-Administration (pharmacy delivered) Health and Wellbeing LCS 
• NHS Health Check (Camden)