Report: Bromley Drug and Alcohol Services - views and experiences of users
The project collected evidence and insights about personal experiences of accessing drug and alcohol support, the impact of services on users’ health and wellbeing, potential barriers to accessing services and areas for improvement within the current system.
Aligned with the objectives of Bromley’s Combatting Drugs and Alcohol Partnership (CDAP), we engaged with service users, families/carers, and professionals directly though surveys and focus groups.
We heard from 43 people about their experiences; 28 were service users, 13 health professionals and two were friends and family of service users.
Of the 28 service users:
- 54% identified as female, 45% as male
- 29% were aged between 45 – 54 years, only 4% between 75-84
- Most (82%), were White English/ Welsh/ Scottish/ Northern Irish/ British
- 40% were in paid employment, 25% not in employment/ not actively seeking worked – retired
- 29% considered themselves to have a long-term health condition and 7% were disabled
- More respondents live in Bromley Town than any other ward.
People accessing drug and alcohol support services often engage with a range of interventions as part of their recovery journey. Their experiences provide valuable insight into what feels most helpful and meaningful in practice. The feedback collected highlights clear themes around the types of services that worked well for them, illustrating the importance of personalised support, peer connection and integrated approaches in promoting stability and ongoing recovery.
Healthwatch Bromley would like to thank everyone who shared their feedback both online and during patient engagement visits. We would also like to thank Change Grow Live for their cooperation in allowing the data collection to take place, and for the formal response to our recommendations - you will find this attached to the back of the report.
Photo: Liza Summer
