Alcohol and Drug Treatment Service: Have your say on the new service

Closed 30 Nov 2023

Opened 4 Sep 2023

Contact

Lisa Burton

(Marketing and Content Officer- Project Adder)

07874 891 529

lisa.burton@eastsussex.gov.uk

Results updated 8 Mar 2024

We asked the public, partners, and stakeholders for their views to ensure that future projects address local needs. There were 290 responses to an online survey, and 143 people using these services input into this consultation between September 2023 and January 2024. The following summarises our key findings from the survey.

We asked what is most likely to discourage you or someone you know from seeking support with drug or alcohol use.

‘Fear of judgement’ was considered the biggest discouragement from seeking support (76%), followed by ‘Thinking your drug and alcohol use is not problematic enough’ (68%) and ‘The use of alcohol or drugs appearing on your health record’ (53%).

Chart to show what respondents thing is most likely to discourage them or someone they know from seeking support with drug or alcohol use. Fear of judgement, 222. The use of alcohol or drugs appearing on your health record, 155. Thinking your drug or alcohol use is not problematic enough to need support, 198. Alcohol or drug use is normal among family or friends, 116. Other, 49.

We asked about people’s awareness of the drug and alcohol support services in East Sussex.

Most respondents were not aware of more than half of the drug and alcohol support services in East Sussex, with Change Grow Live (STAR) and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) being the two most known and/or used services.

Therefore, to promote their services, we will work with those substance misuse support services of which respondents showed lower awareness. We will be creating and implementing a stigma reduction campaign with existing commissioned services, and will use the responses from this consultation as a starting point for how to best raise awareness of drug and alcohol services.

Chart to show the number of respondents who are aware of the drug and alcohol support services in East Sussex. Switchboard, not aware of until now 203, aware but not used it 33, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 11. Seaview, not aware of until now 121, aware but not used it 86, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 53. Project ADDER, not aware of until now 162, aware but not used it 67, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 31. One You, not aware of until now 132, aware but not used it 67, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 31. Oasis Women’s Recovery Service, not aware of until now 143, aware but not used it 71, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 45. Narcotics Anonymous, not aware of until now 65, aware but not used it 133, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 67. Luna, not aware of until now 235, aware but not used it 6, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 1. Kingdom Way Trust, not aware of until now 222, aware but not used it 18, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 9. Hailsham Boxing Club, not aware of until now 225, aware but not used it 16, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 11. Emerging futures, not aware of until now 177, aware but not used it 52, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 21. East Sussex Veterans Hub, not aware of until now 169, aware but not used it 59, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 3. East Sussex Under 25’s Substance Misuse Service, not aware of until now 169, aware but not used it 60, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 23. East Sussex Recovery Alliance, not aware of until now 139, aware but not used it 52, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 74. Counselling Work, not aware of until now 137, aware but not used it 59, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 57. Cocaine Anonymous, not aware of until now 108, aware but not used it 93, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 58. Coastal Wellbeing, not aware of until now 207, aware but not used it 29, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 11. Change, Grow, Live, not aware of until now 50, aware but not used it 68, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 159. Alcoholics Anonymous, not aware of until now 5, aware but not used it 160, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 117. Adfam, not aware of until now 145, aware but not used it 67, Aware and have used it or know someone who has 30.

We asked where people would be most likely to go for support if they were worried about their own or someone they knows alcohol and/or drug use.

The top answers were ‘looking online’ (62%) and ‘contact a local drug and alcohol service’ (59%), followed by ‘talk to the person I am worried about’ (41%) and ‘make GP appointment’ (38%).

Chart to show where respondents would be most likely to go if they were worried about their own or someone else's alcohol or drug use and wanted to find support. Look online, 177. Talk to a family member, 56. Talk to a friend, 70. Talk to a teacher, 3. Talk to the person I am worried about, 118. Make a GP appointment, 108. Call a helpline (e.g., the Samaritans), 26. Contact a local drug and alcohol service, 172. Not sure, 8.

We asked what other types of support would make people more likely to seek support with problematic drug and/or alcohol use.

Respondents could pick their first, second and third most preferred support types from the suggestions given. There were three that were clearly preferable over the other support types, and these were counselling, peer mentors and friendship groups.

A chart showing the types of support that might make respondents more likely to seek help with problematic alcohol and/or drug use. Respondents could make a 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice. Counselling, first choice 121, second choice 48, third choice 43. Friendship Groups, first choice 43, second choice 69, third choice 46. Hobbies / local activities, first choice 17, second choice 32, third choice 45. Holistic therapies, first choice 10, second choice 30, third choice 30. Peer mentors, first choice 72, second choice 60, third choice 57. Support for wider family and/or partner, first choice 14, second choice 29, third choice 48. Other, first choice 9, second choice 5, third choice 2.

Based on people’s comments, the main issues identified that need addressing are:

  • More recovery activities needed, especially in the rural areas of the county
  • Local communities need more mental health support
  • Mental health services need to include people with addictions
  • Lack of communication between agencies (Adult Social Care and Mental Health services)
  • Waiting times in primary care
  • Non-personalised approach
  • Stigma amongst the local community and professionals
  • Primary Care – GPs need to have more understanding of substance misuse issues
  • More time needed with staff working in treatment and recovery services
  • More homeless provision in other areas of East Sussex
  • Online recovery provision needed
  • Involve service users when developing services – lived experience recovery organisation (LERO)
  • Adequate venues to deliver services to clients
  • The support for families’ services has been transformational. However there needs to be more capacity so more people can be helped and a 24/7 crisis line available

Based on peoples comments the main barriers to accessing support are:

  • Not knowing what is available
  • Not sure what to expect – lack of understanding of how services work
  • Difficult to access services – cost of transport, distance to travel, limited services in some areas
  • Fear of being reported to statutory services, social services and police
  • Being seen accessing treatment hubs, by friends, family and employers
  • GPs not knowing what support is available
  • Unsure of when substance use is becoming a problem
  • Difficulty when also struggling with mental health / past trauma
  • Not thinking that treatment is needed
  • Fear of who you might meet in/around treatment hubs (dealers, friends who might be influential in pulling you back into negative behaviours)

 

Overview

East Sussex County Council contracts the main alcohol and drug treatment service in the county, called STAR (also known as Change, Grow, Live). The service covers everything from working with people who are worried they are drinking a bit too much to providing access to in-patient rehabilitation for those with more serious drug addiction. 

The contract is coming up for renewal in 2025 and in preparation for this we’re thinking about what the new service should look like. This survey is aimed at anyone who wants to get involved in shaping the future of the service, regardless of your experience of alcohol and drugs misuse or treatment services. 

We want something that works for residents across the county so we’re speaking to as many people as possible to understand what they want from a service like this and how we can make it accessible to anyone who needs it. If you don’t have any direct experience, we’d still like your thoughts, as hearing from the whole community gives us valuable insight.

The survey will take up to 15 minutes to complete and you have the option to use the ‘Save and come back later…’ button at the end of each page if you need more time to finish later. If you would like to see the questions before you start you can find them in the preview section later on. 

If you need the survey in an alternative format, such as large print or on coloured paper, or you need it in another language, please contact us. You can also get in touch if you prefer to have the survey printed and posted to you. 

If you need support to take part, see our easy read leaflet here.

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What happens next? 

What you tell us in the survey will help us design the specification for the new service. We'll share a summary here of the learning from the survey and what we've done as a result later this year. 

Privacy information: This survey is anonymous and we don't ask you to provide any personal information. There is an optional 'about you' section at the end. Please ensure that any comments you make don't include any names or personal details of you or anyone else. You can find our privacy notice about how the data will be stored and processed by East Sussex County Council on our website.

Take a look at the survey topics before you start

There are five pages in the main part of the survey, as well as an optional 'about you' equalities section at the end. You don't need to have experience of alcohol and drug misuse or treatment to take part in the survey. If a question isn't relevant to you please skip it and move on to the next one. 

The questions cover:

seeking support with alcohol and drug use,

your awareness of individual services,

what a good service looks like,

barriers to accessing services, and

your experience with alcohol and drugs.

You can find out more about the drug and alcohol support in East Sussex, by checking out our Facebook and Twitter / X pages here.

Areas

  • All Areas

Audiences

  • Residents of East Sussex

Interests

  • Health and wellbeing
  • Care and support services (adults)