We have a new BLOSM Substance Liaison Team launching today. The new team will be working with the charities CGL and Waythrough to support patients with substance use issues.

The BLOSM Team started off with the youth navigator pilot, which was introduced to support vulnerable young people attending A&E. After the success of the pilot, the team have now developed the Substance Liaison Team, which aims to help anyone coming to A&E who may be struggling with substance use. The service is available for anybody who needs it - not just for vulnerable people.

The average number of A&E patients who need extra support for substance use is 28 at HRI and 25 at CRH each week. Our new specialised team will be able to provide their expertise to help our patients, once they receive a referral. The three most common substances are alcohol, opiates and recreational drugs.

Currently, the team will be available at CRH between 09:00 - 21:00 Monday - Saturday and at HRI between 12:00 - 17:00 on Wednesdays and Fridays. During these times an out-of-hours referral can be made through Communicate on EPR. 

To celebrate the launch, the team will be holding a stall outside Ingleton Falls Restaurant at CRH on Wednesday, 15th January and in the main entrance of HRI on Thursday, 16th January. Everyone is welcome to pop by to learn more about this new service and to pick up a free goodie bag.

For more information about the Substance Liaison Team, please contact: alistair.christie@cht.nhs.uk