Vulnerable people and rough sleepers in Doncaster are set to benefit from a monthly town centre pop-up hub, which provides support and an opportunity to reconnect with health services in a bid, to help them turn their lives around.
The hub is a joint venture between Aspire Drug and Alcohol Services which is run by Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) in partnership with the Alcohol and Drug Service (ADS), NHS Doncaster Clinical Commissioning Group, Doncaster Council and Hall Gate United Reformed Church.
The hub follows a successful pilot which took place in July this year which saw 18 people attend and receive support and advice from health and social care experts and also financial and housing advice all coming together in one place. Nurses and a street doctor were on hand to provide mental health support and wound care treatment to help tackle addiction, mental and physical health issues.
The monthly pop-up hub will take place on the first Thursday of each month from 11am to 1pm in the Hall Gate United Reformed Church in Doncaster. It is open to anyone who is struggling to engage or receive services in Doncaster.
Stuart Green, Aspire Service Manager, said: “The hub was a resounding success and is a perfect example of reaching out to people with a range of complex inter-related issues that often present as change resistant and form part of addiction in the community. It shows what can be achieved by working together to break the cycle of complex substance addiction with one key aim to give people hope and a way to lead a healthier and better way of life.”
Cllr Nigel Ball, Cabinet Member for Public Health, said: “The hub events are a great opportunity for all the services that are involved in the Complex Lives Alliance to once again engage and offer support to those who find themselves not engaged in services such as those who are homeless or rough sleeping. As we head towards winter this support is even more important and could be crucial during the colder and darker months.”
The Doncaster Complex Lives Alliance is a partnership of support agencies working to engage with and help people who are caught in a cycle involving rough sleeping, addiction and mental ill – health. Their goal is to aim to help people access accommodation and support and to help them on the road to recovery and re-integration into community life.
If you or someone you know is experiencing drug or alcohol issues and want to talk to someone in confidence please visit Aspire’s live chat at: www.aspire.community, or ring 01302 730956.
