Andrea Clark, a blue light caseworker, describes how she applies Alcohol Change UK’s Blue Light Approach to make a difference in the town.
Every day is different in this role, but I love making connections with my clients. Lots of them have given up hope, and I see my role as a massive opportunity to instill motivation and support them towards healthier lives with meaning and a purpose.
I come from a nursing background, and I use my knowledge from that field to ensure my clients get access to alcohol treatment, and stay in treatment.
When I receive a Blue Light referral, I try to make initial contact with the person within 48 hours, as I feel it vital to be responsive. My first aim is to make them feel comfortable with me and build some trust. I am a really chatty person, so I will talk to them about general things to get a conversation going. Sometimes, I even manage to get a smile or laugh from them, which I love to see.
I have a keen eye for risks. So, if my clients are smoking and drinking, I help them get a fire safety check. I ask them about how they’re eating and how they generally take care of themselves, and I offer to make referrals to other support services, if that’s something they want. It’s important for people in this situation that we get a range of professionals involved, as they often have more things going on than just their alcohol use. Mental health is often a big issue, but I also uncover issues like exploitation, self-neglect and poor diet, to name just a few.
I often get a sense of the barriers to change in their lives within the first few visits, which helps me understand what we need to focus on together. Often, I find that they don’t have family or friends, and that relationships have broken down, which is so sad.
When the time is right, we talk about their alcohol use and get them involved in care planning. Sometimes, the only goal that they can commit to is continuing to see me. That in itself is progress.
At the end of a visit, I do a risk assessment. The person is then what we call “safety-netted” – I ensure they have all appropriate contact numbers for mental health services and urgent and emergency care numbers easily to hand. I give them the out-of-hours helpline number too, because sometimes weekends and evenings can be a lonely time for them.
When they feel ready, I complete the alcohol AUDIT and SADQ questionnaires with them. I try to always do this as a conversation rather than going through it in a formal question-and-answer fashion. At this point, my aim is to encourage them to attend an alcohol nurse assessment; or, if needed, our nurses will attend and meet them where there are. The nurse and I will discuss what’s needed next at a multidisciplinary team meeting, and I’ll make sure the client knows what’s been discussed and decided, so that they’re in the loop.
Integrating alcohol support with other health and social care services like this helps us achieve continuity of care. Having a streamlined approach gives people hope that they’ll get the help they need promptly. Supporting people to access interventions that they may have previously withdrawn from or declined to attend makes a real difference to them.
We are already seeing some vulnerable alcohol-dependent drinkers opting for clinical detox, which is fantastic. Some have also engaged in psychosocial (PSI) groups and harm minimisation sessions. I will often support them to attend, and it’s so great to see them making such positive steps.
Stigma is a massive barrier for many clients. Obtaining consent for me to share clients’ information with healthcare services means I can obtain treatment for them on their behalf without them feeling judged or embarrassed; but, when appropriate, I do challenge any prejudice I encounter towards my clients.
The Blue Light Approach is person-centred and holistic. Many clients feel they don’t deserve another chance and have lost all hope, but the Blue Light Approach has compassion and empathy at the heart of it. I am a true believer that even people who don’t show obvious motivation to change just need the right type of wraparound support, and that’s what we’re aiming to provide in Middlesborough!
Interested in learning more about Blue Light training opportunities? Find out more about Alcohol Change UK's specialist Blue Light training courses.