Drugs and alcohol

The Lewisham PCRS provides confidential joined-up drug and alcohol support services.

If you are using drugs or alcohol more than you would like, a specialist PCRS worker will help you develop a treatment plan.

Services we provide

Opioid substitute therapy

We work with GPs and pharmacists to provide opioid substitute therapy. This service involves:

• assessment

• titration and stabilisation

• community detox, access to in-patient detox and residential rehab

• recovery support

Alcohol services

The alcohol recovery services we can provide include:

• advice and information

• brief interventions and reduction planning

• extended interventions including controlled drinking or stabilisation planning

• nurse-led community detox

• carer and family pre-detox support, advice and information

• access to inpatient detox

• residential rehab

Drink Coach app

The Drink Coach app lets you track your drinking, set goals, and see how much money you can save.

Download the Drink Coach app.

The alcohol test

The Drink Coach alcohol test is a two-minute survey with ten questions. It will tell you how risky your drinking is and signpost you to additional support.

The test is a digital version of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) developed by the World Health Organisation

Take the alcohol test.

Substance misuse services

We offer:

• advice, information and harm reduction on a wide range of substances such as alcohol, cannabis, novel psychoactive substances, cocaine, crack, benzodiazepines, opiates, and amphetamines
• over 50s support plan
• information on where to find a needle exchange in Lewisham
• assessment of needs and tailored care planning
• carer support advice and information
• intensive key-working
• pre-detox and post-detox support
• group work and peer support
• blood borne virus screening and support to access treatment
• onward referrals to local services and resources
  home visits

Other services

We also provide:

• help with stopping smoking
• complimentary therapies including yoga
• out-of-hours support

Aftercare support

We offer a 12-week programme of free, confidential aftercare support for people who have completed treatment with us. Using a 'five ways to wellbeing' framework, we give you the tools you need to make your recovery a success and be more able to help yourself in the future.

We also provide a network of groups and activities across Lewisham for people who have completed treatment.

How you can get our support

You can get support from us at eight GP surgeries across the borough. A GP, nurse or health care worker can make an appointment for you to speak in confidence with a specialist PCRS worker. You can also get in touch with us directly to arrange an appointment.

Contact Lewisham Primary Care Recovery Service (PCRS) - email lewishampcrs@waythrough.org.uk or phone 020 8699 5263, Monday-Thursday 9am–5pm, Friday 9.30am-5pm. Surgery hours vary dependant on GP (please call for details).

New Direction is part of the national charity Change Grow Live.

We are here to help you set your goals and achieve them. We will listen to your needs and make sure the treatment suits you. We will provide advice and information about the options available to help you stay safe and well.

Our service is free, confidential and non-judgemental.

Our services

We offer:

• an experienced team of health and care staff, nurses and doctors
• individual care plans
• access to an established group programme
• links to recovery community, fellowships and support from people with similar life experiences
• a dedicated family and carers service

Medically assisted therapy (MAT)

Our on-site medical professionals offer access to MAT, prescribing Espranor or Physeptone to help stabilise opiate use. This includes:

• assessment
• titration, stabilisation and reduction
• access to in-patient detox and residential rehab
• ongoing recovery support

Alcohol support

Our service also helps you to address alcohol dependency and explore safe levels of drinking. This includes:

• Extended Brief Interventions looking at safe levels of drinking, planned reduction and stabilisation
• nurse-led alcohol assessment
• structured alcohol group programme
• access to inpatient detox and residential rehab

We also provide

• a full-time needle exchange service, with access to harm reduction advice and naloxone (a lifesaving medication that can reverse the effects of an opiate overdose)
• Blood Borne Virus (BBV) testing and vaccination services
• a dedicated women's pathway
• complimentary therapies including yoga, acupuncture and mindfulness
• a LQBTQ support programme for people experiencing issues with drugs or alcohol use
• access to housing support via Bench and Education, Training and Employment (ETE) opportunities

CGL Prevent app

The CGL Prevent app helps service users at Change Grow Live achieve positive behaviour change using proven techniques.

The app is very interactive and easy to use. The app is also based on the latest advances in behavioural science.

• download the CGL Prevent app from the App Store

• download the CGL Prevent app from Google Play

How you can get our support

We have an open access service every day except Tuesday, with drop-in appointments from 9.30am. You can self-refer via telephone, email or by coming in.

We also accept referrals from all professionals. Visit our webpage for a referral form or contact us using the details at the bottom of this page.

We provide access to support within Lewisham Police Station custody and provide access to treatment services following arrest. Our service also supports people being released from prison and those who are discharged back to the borough from hospital.

Contact New Direction by email info.lewisham@cgl.org.uk or phone 020 8314 5566. Monday, Thursday and Friday, 9.30am–5pm, Tuesday, 1.30–5pm (women only), Wednesday, 9.30am–7pm, Saturday, 10am–4pm (family and carers only).

The Prevention, Inclusion and Public Health Commissioning team in Lewisham commissions drug services, provides training, information and advice to individuals and groups, runs awareness campaigns and aims to help people in Lewisham with the problems that drug and alcohol use cause to individuals, families and communities.

• Drug strategy 2017

NTA is a special health authority within the NHS, established by Government in 2001, to improve the availability, capacity and effectiveness of treatment for drug misuse in England.

• NTA models of care for treatment of adult drug misusers

Insight Lewisham provides a free, friendly, and confidential support service for young people under the age of 25 in Lewisham. The team can help with substance use, sexual health, and relationships, as well as to support families and carers impacted by a loved one’s drug or alcohol use.

What Insight offers

For young people:

• substance use support: flexible, consent-based appointments tailored to your goals - meet us in schools, colleges, Goldsmiths University, family hubs, parks, or wherever works best for you
• sexual health support: guidance on safe sex, consent, and risky behaviours, plus free condom distribution
• hidden harm work: 1:1 sessions for young people affected by substance use in their environment

For families, friends, and carers:

• 1:1 sessions: up to five confidential sessions to help navigate the challenges of supporting someone using substances
• parenting programme: an 11-week tailored programme for parents with a history of substance use
• insightful families: group and individual sessions for parents, plus Hidden Harm and carers' support

Why choose Insight Lewisham?

• flexible locations: from schools and youth hubs to walk-and-talk sessions in the community
• young-person-centred: we work on your terms to help you achieve your goals
• confidential and friendly: your privacy and comfort are at the heart of our service

Contact Insight Lewisham email insightlewisham@waythrough.org.uk or phone 020 8690 3020. Monday to Thursday: 9am-5pm, Friday: 9am-4.30pm. Webchat available: Monday to Friday: 3pm-6pm. 38-39 Winslade Way, Catford Shopping Centre, SE6 4JU.

Parenting programme

Our parenting programme consists of a family centred approach and includes 12 group sessions. These will run of roughly 90 minutes each. The sessions will cover topics such as:

• resilience
• communication
• emotional development and emotional regulation
• substance misuse
• parental conflict
• boundaries 
• child development 
• wellbeing and next steps

Family, Friends and Carers (FFC) programme

Our FFC programme consists of either group sessions or individual sessions. These will include an assessment and five sessions which will run based on the well-established stress-strain-coping-support model.

If you are a service user or a carer, you can give feedback and make suggestions about the services you use to the Lewisham Service User Involvement Team (SUIT).

What the team does

The team:

• works to represent the views of service users
• takes on suggestions and comments on how to provide for current and future service users
• takes suggestions and comments on how to provide for current and future service users
• supports change and ensures that the involvement of service users is at the heart of the service
• are committed to being visible and approachable representatives

Service users can drop in and talk to a member of SUIT at either of these sessions:

• Thursdays, 10am–3pm: Spring Gardens, 1 Arlington Close, Ennersdale Road, SE13 6JQ
• Fridays, 10am–3pm: CGL New Directions, 410 Lewisham High Street, Lewisham SE13 6LJ

Which services are covered

SUIT wants to hear from service users about their experience of:

• drug and alcohol services
• supported accommodation services

Are you worried about a young person using drugs and alcohol? 

If the answer is yes, Insightful families can help with their whole-family approach by working with everyone in the family impacted by drugs and alcohol. 

• join the team