COMMUNITY PHARMACY HAS PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE PARTNERSHIP THAT ENSURED THE CONTINUED DELIVERY OF SUBSTANCE MISUSE AND HOMELESS HEALTHCARE SERVICES IN EDINBURGH. LAUREN GIBSON, LEAD PHARMACIST FOR SUBSTANCE MISUSE & PRISONS NHS LOTHIAN, TELLS SP HOW THE COLLABORATION WORKED…
Partnership working at its best C
OVID-19 has presented a huge challenge for all healthcare sectors. Substance
Misuse Services have been particularly affected – as a service it traditionally requires regular face-to-face contact with patients, often with patients who are already marginalised and isolated in everyday life - this group are now faced with further COVID isolation. As such patients suffering with addiction and/or homelessness became very vulnerable during the pandemic as normal services reduced coupled with social distancing and self-isolation.
As such, normal service delivery in Substance Misuse was hit hard by this crisis like all services we had to reduce face-to-face interactions, but with our patients being very socially vulnerable. Many service users rely on daily contact with community
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pharmacies through daily dispensing services of methadone and buprenorphine - but COVID contingencies required these normal services to be scaled back. It was therefore important that all sectors of healthcare across the Lothian region came together to ensure continuity of service to this vulnerable cohort of patients.
In Edinburgh, there was a swift and sizeable response to COVID-19 from drug, alcohol and homeless services to protect this vulnerable group. Vast contingency plans were established and services were transformed at a rapid pace. The very nature of drug, alcohol and homeless services lies within collaboration between the NHS, the third sector, social work and housing. COVID-19 saw all of these organisations come together to work as one team.
Co-ordination and support was delivered by the Edinburgh Alcohol and Drug Partnership and all of the bodies below contributed significantly to the co-ordinated response.
Edinburgh Access Practice (EAP) began by mobilising an outreach response for the homeless population. Those residing in emergency hotels provided by the council, had daily contact with GP services and access to COVID testing; opioid substitution therapy (OST) for opioid dependence; alcohol detox; wound care; and a range of other
NHS Services
Edinburgh Access Practice (EAP) The Harm Reduction Team (Spittal Street Centre)
Chalmers Sexual Health Team The Blood Borne Virus Team Public Health
Community Pharmacy
primary and emergency care services. An outreach nurse dedicated to prescribing opioid substitution therapy OST for the homeless population was also provided.
EAP also had junior doctors volunteering at clinics in the hotels, and had medical student volunteers delivering prescriptions to pharmacies and delivering methadone to patients who were self isolating or shielding.
The Substance Misuse Harm Reduction Team (HRT) at Spittal Street mirrored EAP’s efforts for those
The Third Sector Salvation Army Streetworks Bethany Trust Cyrenians
Turning Point Change Grow Live MELD/WLDASS/Steps to Hope
Wider Services Edinburgh City Council Housing Department Humanitarian Hub The Police
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