The Mutual Aid Toolkit Megan Jones and Tony

The Mutual Aid Toolkit Megan Jones and Tony Mercer Megan Jones Senior Programme Manager Alcohol & Drugs Team Recovery from Addiction Conference University Of Chester 2 nd & 3 rd November 2015

National Drug Strategy (2010) Two overarching aims: • Reduce illicit and other harmful drug use; and • Increase the numbers recovering from their dependence. “Active promotion and support of local mutual aid networks such as Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous will be essential. ” 2 Mutual Aid Toolkit

Active promotion and support of mutual aid • PHE ambition: improve recovery rates from alcohol and drug dependency • Commitment to increase effective links between treatment and mutual aid organisations • Promote awareness of positive benefits of mutual aid for those in treatment • Facilitate service users to access groups of their choice • PHE strategic action plan for improving access to mutual aid produced August 2013 3 Mutual Aid Toolkit

Why promote it? • Evidence : MA likely to improve an individual’s chance of recovery Ø Extra effect when combined with structured treatment Ø Continuing support structure reduces rates of post -treatment relapse • NICE recommendation: staff should routinely provide people with information about MA groups and facilitate access and engagement 4 Mutual Aid Toolkit

MARG • Mutual Aid Reference Group - established October 2013 • Bi-monthly meetings – ongoing • Membership: mutual aid organisations, treatment providers, commissioners, Public Health England • Expert advice and guidance on the challenges of building relationships between mutual aid and treatment • Develop and oversee implementation of action plan • Contribute to the development of products and resources 5 Mutual Aid Toolkit

Mutual Aid Toolkit Objectives 1. Support & improve local understanding of the availability, gaps and barriers to MA 2. Encourage more people in treatment to access MA and monitor uptake 3. Support commissioners and service managers to develop effective local networks 4. Support implementation 6 Mutual Aid Toolkit

Mutual Aid Toolkit: Old Tools 7 Mutual Aid Toolkit

MA Toolkit: New Tools in 2015 8 Mutual Aid Toolkit

The Final Tool: Mutual Aid Framework Sets out the essential steps to take in improving the local provision of mutual aid and its connectivity with structured treatment. Contains some very practical suggestions for implementation: • case file audits to measure whether mutual aid is discussed in key work sessions • mutual aid steering group • mutual aid event 9 Mutual Aid Toolkit

Resources Recovery Resources page of the NTA legacy website www. nta. nhs. uk 9 Mutual Aid Toolkit

Implementation • Monitoring & evaluation • Myths • Workforce • Other barriers • What worked well 11 Mutual Aid Toolkit

Monitoring & evaluation • NDTMS • Number of meetings • Fellowship surveys • Building relationships 12 Mutual Aid Toolkit

Myths • Religious cult • Medication/clean-time • Sexual predators 13 Mutual Aid Toolkit

Workforce • Knowledge & understanding • Attending open meetings • Job security • Co-dependency 14 Mutual Aid Toolkit

Other barriers • Geography • Supply & demand • Re-tendering 15 Mutual Aid Toolkit

What worked well? • Local steering groups • Service specifications • Staff workshops • • 16 Bio-psycho-social model Positive social networks Shares from fellowship members Health inequalities Mutual Aid Toolkit