Warrington has been chosen to engage in a national piece of work on how to support opiate users better, with Warrington supporting a range of sessions alongside other Councils across the country on how to improve services in the future.

Warrington is making strong progress in this area, with the ‘Change Grow Live’ team leading the way in working with and discharging people who use opiates and ensuring they do not to return to service within six months.

In Warrington, 8.4% of opiate users in treatment have been discharged drug free and have not returned to Change Grow Live within two years. This places Warrington 3.3% above the national average of 5.1%. It follows the effective use of three years’ extra funding for Warrington which has supported many opiate users in the town.

The Change Live Grow ‘Pathways’ programme offers a free and confidential service to anyone facing difficulties with drug use, including opiates. It also provides a similar service for those needing support for alcohol use.  Local people can access advice and support from an experienced team of healthcare professionals, including nurses and doctors. Additionally, they can offer Naloxone, a medication that can reverse the effects of an opiate overdose, along with training on how to use it.

The range of ongoing support includes relapse prevention, wellbeing and support groups, post-treatment check-ups, and opportunities for volunteering and mentoring. The team also has connections to recovery coaches, support groups, and individuals who have shared similar life experiences, helping people find and maintain motivation for recovery.

Warrington Borough Council’s cabinet member for health, wellbeing and social care, Cllr Maureen McLaughlin said “It’s excellent news that the ‘Pathways’ programme is having such a positive impact on supporting opiate users, helping people become drug free and preventing relapses.

“The Change Live Grow team is doing some fantastic work in this area, offering tailored support which treats each person as an individual, and providing programmes which meet their needs and helps them achieve their goals.

“I’m pleased that this work has been recognised at a national level and Warrington will be able to play its part in improving services for opiate users across the country.”

A service user who has benefited from the Pathways programme has thanked the team for the difference their support made to their life. They said: “I walked through the doors a prolific heroin user of years, and after having two to three substance misuse workers, I finally found the one who I felt I could open up to and tell her anything and everything.

“My worker told me a few home truths which I needed to hear, and now, from starting on 120mls of methadone, I’m down to 28ml and ready to move on to the next stage, which is Subutex. Then, two weeks later, I'm going to start on a monthly Injection of a drug called Buvidal, with hopes of being on it for the shortest time and becoming totally drug-free.  I would be lost without my keyworker!

“I'm looking forward to the next chapter in my life, which is living life totally pharmaceutical drug-free where I no longer need to be in treatment. I don't know where I would be today if it wasn't for my key worker and Change Grow Live.”

You can visit the Change Live Grow website for more information.