1 December 2020

All providers of substance misuse services in London were invited to collaborate in HDAS. While not all chose to actively participate, organisations delivering part or all elements of services in 30 of London’s 33 boroughs did so. The central delivery team was made up of staff from Change Grow Live (Service Coordination), Turning Point (Coordination and Recovery Lead) and South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM – Clinical Lead) with additional clinicians and recovery workers from Westminster Drug Project (WDP), Phoenix Futures, We Are With You, and Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL). 

Conclusions 

  • The nature of emergency hotel provision, with people experiencing rough sleeping placed in and moved into hotels city wide across boroughs; necessitated a Pan-London response to substance use need, given the fragmented commissioning of London treatment services (28 separate services across 33 boroughs with different models of delivery);
  • The cross-provider nature of HDAS helped: o Rapid escalation to find solutions to any barriers to engagement and treatment; 
  • Identify, create and distribute resources e.g. workbooks and “distraction packs”; 
  • Cross-check information about residents in treatment e.g. clients raised at MDTs; 
  • Quickly share information about hotels opening, closing, plans for move-on etc. 

HDAS ensured the visibility of substance misuse harm reduction and treatment among the range of needs within London’s rough sleeping population and promoted the availability of support via local and national platforms. 

Based on these findings, a number of recommendations have been made as guidance for Commissioners of services. Download this guidance (opens PDF).