One Recovery Bucks (ORB) is an adult drug and alcohol service that has developed a one-stop-shop multi-agency service model. People who use drugs and alcohol are often marginalised and experience health inequalities on a daily basis. They often find it difficult to access health services and treatment or have had bad experiences previously, and therefore do not access healthcare until their health has worsened and conditions become more serious. Ill health can impact an individual’s ability to recover from drug and alcohol dependence, and not accessing health services earlier can lead to premature deaths.
Thanks to the landmark review conducted by Dame Carol Black, One Recovery Bucks received funds to create new positions for a Specialist Health and Wellbeing Nurse and Assertive Outreach Workers.
The specialist roles coordinate care and support people to access wider care provision within ORB. ORB has exceeded national targets for hepatitis C elimination and established joint working pathways with sexual health services. Outreach clinics have also been implemented to serve those who do not find accessing healthcare services easily for various reasons.
The creation of a one-stop shop for those receiving support from One Recovery Bucks has resulted in increased access to care and earlier treatment. Thorough health and wellbeing assessments, including physical examinations such as respiratory, cardiac examinations, blood pressure, heart rate, blood tests, ECGs, and monitoring of vital signs, has allowed staff to identify previously undiagnosed conditions such as inflammation of the liver. Having these tests, examinations, and results all under one-roof can help motivate change whilst providing early intervention, preventing lifelong illnesses that would require expensive medical care. This new holistic offer has also strengthened relationships between staff and people who use the service.
One Recovery Bucks were nominated by Rob Butler, MP for Aylesbury for a ‘Health Equalities’ Parliamentary Award, and the winner will be announced Wednesday 5th July. Leading the way in tackling health inequalities within drug and alcohol services, since the implementation of the one-stop-shop the entire ORB team has supported those using ORB to access wider care provision within the service increasing blood-borne virus testing by 57% with the service now just a fraction away from achieving micro-elimination of Hepatitis C.
Tracy Braddock, service manager says
“The people we work with are marginalised not just from society, but from healthcare in general. The one-stop service model has proven how pulling together and bringing treatment to where people are, truly saves lives, whilst reinforcing that they are worthy of the personalised care we offer them. We are incredibly proud to be recognised for this life-saving work with our parliamentary award nomination.”