NHS West Sussex Health & wellbeing for life

Our drug services are provided by a range of organisations and managed by the West Sussex Drug and Alcohol Action Team.

There are some specialist drug facilities run by charities and private organisations.

Can I access help and support?

It doesn’t matter what age you are, there is free help and support available for you in West Sussex.

We have services for you if you are under 18 or over 18, and  if you would prefer one-to-one support or group sessions.

There is also a lot of support and help to you if you are the family, partner and friend of someone who is taking drugs as we know the effect it can also have on you.

There are a number of services that offer advice, information, treatment and access to further services.

Most services will have a range of treatment options including counselling, group work, complementary therapies and prescribed services. These services are a good starting point for an initial assessment for drug treatment.

The most appropriate services to access for an initial assessment, and referral to other services if required, are listed below.

Advice, information and support
Professional staff are available for advice and information and to help you with the decisions you make about your drug use.

Assessment and options
You can talk through your experience and current situation and professionals will assess your needs with you and tell you about your treatment options.

Ongoing one-to-one support and group work
If you feel ready to make changes to your drug use you will be allocated a key worker/project worker. Your key worker will support you to make positive changes either through one-to-one support or through group work.

Access to prescribing across West Sussex
Anyone who requires a prescription through our services will receive the same level of service throughout the county. Your needs will be assessed and experts will support you through either your own GP, through our shared care GP’s or from our specialist prescribing service.

Supervised community, in-patient detoxification and rehabilitation
Detoxification is an option if you are drug dependent. Our services can support you in your detoxification in the community or by referral to in-patient detoxification and/or residential rehabilitation.

Structured day programmes and complementary therapies
Services available in West Sussex can provide you with a choice of day time activities, such as life skills, basic skills development, relapse prevention, training and education options.

Services also provide complementary therapies to assist you with improving your health and wellbeing.

Aftercare
Providing treatment is just one part of the services on offer, equally important is the provision of aftercare.

Drugs Intervention Programme
In West Sussex there is a Drugs Intervention Programme, which is a national project aimed at breaking the cycle of drug misuse. You can access a DIP worker at custody, court, upon release from prison or by being referred by a criminal justice professional.

Harm reduction and needle exchange
There are harm reduction services across West Sussex including needle exchange centres, safe disposal of used equipment, sexual health information and advice. You can also receive general health advice and be offered contacts for other agencies in necessary.

Young people’s services in West Sussex
In West Sussex there is a service for young people from 10-19 years old with serious drug and or alcohol problems.

Experts can work with you, or your child, looking at making decisions about drug use and planning for change: if you have concerns about health, personal relationships, money, crime or education and want support around these they can assist you by looking at them.

A good place to start is your GP surgery. Your GP can assess you and work out what type of treatment is best for you. They might treat you, or you might be referred to your local specialist drug service.

However, many drug treatment services also accept self-referrals, so you may not need to be referred by your GP. Contact numbers are below for each of the local services, if you call them they will be able to advise you on what help is available for you and the next steps.

Bognor Regis: telephone 01243 869234
Our services are available to anyone living in the Bognor Regis area.

Chichester: telephone 01243 528162
Our services are available to anyone living in Chichester and Arundel area, Selsey, Witterings, West Sussex to Hampshire borders, Pulborough, Loxwood, Petworth and Midhurst.

Crawley: telephone 01293 657015
All of our services are available to individuals who live in the Crawley and Horsham areas.

Haywards Heath: telephone 01444 453061
Our services are available to anyone living in the Mid Sussex area.

Worthing: telephone 01903 237038
All of our services are available to individuals who live in Worthing, Adur and Arun.

Your local GP
It is a sensible step to talk to your GP first. They can offer practical advice and support about what is available in your area. They will also know about support networks which can offer you support and advice, often from people who have experienced it themselves first-hand.

Drop-in centres
There are also a number of drop-in centres that help and support people in West Sussex who have been affected by a relative or friend’s misuse of alcohol or drugs.

The drop-in centres are at:

• Bognor Regis: Addaction, 22 Sudley Road, Bognor, PO21 1ER (Meet every Friday, from 5.30pm to 7pm).
   
• Crawley: The Orchard, Gleneagles Court, Brighton Road, Southgate (12.30pm to 2pm, Mondays).
   
• Horsham: Park Barn, opposite The Capitol behind New Park House, North Street (5.30pm to 7pm, the first and third Tuesday of every month).
   
• Lancing: Lancing Children and Family Centre, North Road (the second Tuesday of each month between 1 and 2.30pm).
   
• Littlehampton: The Dairy, Church Street (1pm-2.30pm, the first Friday of each month).
   
• Midhurst: Midhurst Children and Family Centre, which is next to Midhurst Primary School, Ashfield Road (2.30 and 4pm, the third Thursday of every month).
   
• Southwick: The Corner House, opposite Southwick Community Centre and Barn Theatre (7.30pm to 9pm, first Thursday of every month).
   
• Worthing: The Place, next to the Yoga Centre, 24 Marine Place (5.30 to 7pm, Tuesdays).

Sussex Alcohol and Substance Use Service

12 free individual counselling sessions for anyone concerned about their own or someone else's substance misuse. Services conducted in GP surgeries and health centers throughout West Sussex. We accept self referrals and referrals from GP’s. Evening appointments available at most venues.

Telephone – 01273 727888