RECOVERY

The Achieve contract was awarded for Bolton , Salford and Trafford in January 2018 , with Bury joining in September 2019 . This was the first cluster contract outside of London , enabling the maximisation of resources at a time of disinvestment and efficiencies across the sector . Working with non-statutory providers also meant access to a whole voluntary , community and social enterprise ( VCSE )

The Achieve partnership ’ s cross-sector approach is making a real difference to people ’ s lives in the Greater Manchester area , says Dr Jonathan Dewhurst

community with which to partner . We know that most people with addiction problems have been through traumatic experiences , and experience associated mental and physical health problems – alongside other social problems such as homelessness . It is vital that we see the whole person , hear their story , and help to break down their barriers by supporting them in all areas of need . Because if someone is struggling with their mental health or housing situation , for example , it will have a huge impact on their ability to recover from addiction .

Led by GMMH , the Achieve partnership brings together crosssector organisations to deliver a holistic range of services to support recovery . This includes support for a range of health and social needs , such as psychological support , peer mentoring , housing , employment , training and education , social groups and mutual aid .

As a consultant addiction psychiatrist , it ’ s extremely valuable to be able to refer the service users I work with to this rich and wide-ranging network of support , at any point throughout receiving the treatments and psychological interventions that I offer , and beyond . An external evaluation report , undertaken by independent research and consultancy organisation SQW , found that this innovative , collaborative approach is ‘ overwhelmingly positive ’, and successful in responding to ‘ the multifaceted and complex needs individuals present with ’.

One key aspect of the partnership that was praised in the report was the ‘ Achieve asset fund ’. Through the fund , voluntary , community and social enterprise organisations across Bolton , Salford and Trafford have been able to apply for up to £ 5,000 in grant funding to deliver projects with a focus on recovery . The report found that the fund was ‘ a valuable aspect of the Achieve offer in supporting the availability of recovery services On 13 July , we announced the positive findings of the report at a celebration event at the Lowry in Salford . We heard from a range of partners about their

ACHIEVE PARTNERS :

• Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust ( lead )

• Big Life Group

• Early Break

• Great Places Housing

• Intuitive Thinking Skills

• Salford CVS

• Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust ( part of Northern Care Alliance )

• Those on the Margins of Society ( THOMAS )

8 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • SEPTEMBER 2022 WWW . DRINKANDDRUGSNEWS . COM