Our clients’ health remains a priority during the COVID-19 pandemic, so our doors remain open throughout lockdown for anyone that needs support. 
With more and more people around the UK developing addictions to drugs or alcohol, the need for more rehabilitation centres is evident. In many cases, loved ones of an addict do not know how to respond or how to act towards these individuals and it can be incredibly frustrating to try to communicate with the affected person. This is often the point where concerned relatives or friends will suggest rehabilitation to the addicted individual. However, recent budget cuts to addiction services in some areas of the UK are resulting in closures of these much-needed rehabilitation centres, which is putting massive amounts of strain on the remaining clinics to try to accommodate all these extra people who are approaching them for support.
Great Dividends in the Future
A rehabilitation centre based in Newcastle-under-Lyme will be closing on December 20th, 2016 due to budget cuts, even though more than 50,000 people signed a petition to keep it open. Staffordshire County Council chose to stick with its decision to decrease funding to the centre by £875,000. Many have tried “and failed” to persuade the council to retract its decision; even well-known comedian and former addict Russell Brand has made an appeal to save the clinic. He is adamant that the funds that would be put towards addicts overcoming their addiction “will pay great dividends in the future”.
Ahead of the Game
The budget cuts were confirmed just one day after Anthony Munday, the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, enthused how Stoke was in front of the rest of England in regards to its addiction services. He mentioned this at the Insight 2016 awards, which saw services that support those with multiple issues such as addiction and homelessness come together. He explained that Stoke was ahead of the game in terms of successful outcomes for those suffering from addiction in the local area.
Strain on Other Clinics
The Council decided to close the Newcastle rehab centre to save £15 million. Since its opening in 2007, the facility helped more than 300 addicts every year, and now founder Noreen Oliver is concerned about the strain this closure will be putting on other clinics in the area and beyond. Mrs Oliver said, “It was suggested that maybe the borough councils and other local authorities and the Police and Crime Commissioner might be able to help fund it, but we would still have to close.”
Reinvestment
However, the council has plans to reinvest £5.9 million into addiction recovery in 2017 alone. Councillor Alan White, cabinet member for health, care and well-being, commented on the council’s decision to reduce funding to addiction services.”There are around 865,000 people living in Staffordshire, and we need to balance the competing demands of the people we care for,” he said. This does not just include addiction services, but services for the elderly, children and those with learning difficulties also.
Support When Overcoming Addiction
With the news of this closure, many are concerned that they will have nowhere to turn. Nevertheless, if you are concerned that a loved one may be suffering from an addiction and needs help, then contact us here at Blue Skies Recovery. We specialise in helping those battling drug or alcohol addictions and have excellent previous success rates; we have a range of treatments that can be tailored to suit the needs of the affected individual. If you would like any further information about our clinic or the treatments we provide, do not hesitate to contact us today and we will be more than happy to assist.
Source:
- Newcastle rehab centre to close in Staffordshire County Council cuts (Staffs Live)
