A pilot outreach scheme launched 18-months ago in Brixton has now been made permanent, and has seen experts out in Brixton building trust with rough sleepers and substance users in the streets, encouraging them to seek help.
Most recent figures show more than 300 more adults in treatment compared to the previous year, to just under 2,000 adults in total, as a result.
There is now also a Voluntary Referrals app operational in Lambeth that offers a simple-to-use way for police officers to directly refer a person to their local substance misuse treatment service for assessment and treatment.
Since being put in place the outreach team has worked to boost referrals to treatment programmes, cut the number of injecting drug users, decreasing drug-related deaths and lowered of drug and alcohol-related anti-social behaviour.
Cllr Dr Mahamed Hashi, Lambeth’s Cabinet member for Safer Communities, said: “Drug and alcohol addiction is a destructive scourge on our communities that destroys people’s health, drives crime and abuse in our communities and has serious knock on effects, including anti-social behaviour, robbery and theft.
“The police lead on tackling crime, while the council undertakes enforcement and community support. We have been pushing hard for more visible policing in the town centre and for the increased on the ground police presence Brixton so badly needs.
“As part of those efforts the council and the police are holding ongoing days of action in the town centre, and in response to increasing concern about drug use in public Lambeth Council’s public health team is working with substance misuse services to run the on-street engagement team.
“The role of the team is to build relationships, better understand the needs of people who are using drugs and to support them to access treatment services. The outreach workers attend areas of concern, and engage with individuals in those areas to learn more about them, their needs and what support can be offered.
“We know there is more work to be done, but I welcome the progress that has already been made in addressing these issues.”
The on-street team go out on early morning shifts and through the day, liaising with the police and other agencies for wide coverage, shared intelligence, working across Brixton town centre in Windrush Square, Brixton Station, Electric Avenue and Electric Lane, Rushcroft Road, Nursery Road and Rush Common.
It is staffed by the charity Thames Reach who have experience of working in Lambeth communities and knowledge of the range of services on offer to support people with complex needs. The on-street engagement work in Brixton, supports work across the borough carried out by other teams to address rough sleeping, drugs and alcohol.
