About this event:

The Covid-19 epidemic and resulting lockdown has presented substance misuse services in the community with unprecedented challenges, especially in how to maintain clinical prescription services, and support for clients who haven’t been able to see their support workers face-to-face or to participate in groups, and whose experience of lockdown has generated additional support needs.

This webinar presents examples of how Forward has responded to this challenge, including the development of digital services that have maintained vital contact during lockdown and also delivered support in a way that clients greatly value, in some cases even more than face-to-face delivery.

The webinar will also feature a discussion on the implications of digital delivery for how substance misuse services will be commissioned in the future within the context of the Black Review, including models of peer support, outcome measurement, the size of client caseloads, and less need for traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ hubs and premises.

The sessions will be chaired by Philip Breslin, former commissioner for London Borough of Greenwich.

What will be covered during this webinar?

The National Provider Perspective

• The lockdown challenge for community services. (An overview by James Parker, Head of Services, Forward
• Digital innovation enabling clients to progress on their recovery journeys
  • Online 1-2-1 chat – enabling discrete and supportive conversations for the ‘treatment naïve’ (Gary Stickings, Recovery Services Manager, Forward)
  • Mobile messaging among peers – using the Kaizala app to enable peer support for groups in recovery (Michael Webster, Recovery Support Team Leader, East Kent)
  • Online group programmes – delivering structured group work and group therapy through video calls (Jennie Leigh, Team Leader, Hull Renew)

The Service User Perspective

• Q&A with service users on their experience of these services

The Commissioner Perspective

• How should future service provision respond to learning from lockdown?
• What’s the optimal blend between digital, remote and face-to-face services?
• How can their relative value be measured?
• What are the implications for estates and premises? 

Who should attend? 

This webinar is relevant for:

• Substance misuse and related service providers and partners
• Commissioners of substance misuse services