Addiction Clinical Care Suite 2 (ACCS 2) at St Thomas’ Hospital
Provided by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
Addiction Clinical Care Suite (ACCS 2) Universal Unit – this service is open to all and not specific to people who are sleeping rough
The service is intended to address the gap in complex inpatient detoxification provision in London for those with co-occurring physical and mental health needs such as:
- severe alcohol and/or polydrug dependence
- diagnosed severe and enduring mental health illness
- a history of multiple detoxifications and relapse
- alcohol-related liver disease
- alcohol-related brain damage (ABRD)
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Our Addiction Clinical Care Suite (ACCS 1) is dedicated to people who are sleeping rough whilst our second Unit (ACCS 2) offers six elective in-patient detoxification and stabilisation beds is open for any person who is dependent on drugs and/or alcohol.
ACCS 2 will treat people dealing with alcohol and/or drug dependency in a hospital-based setting by providing a wide range of specialist care to treat a complexity of health problems. ACCS 2 provides a holistic support programme with access to specialist medical care, psychiatry and psychology to help those being treated to begin a recovery from addiction.
In addition to supporting people to safely withdraw from alcohol and drugs as part of the first steps in a treatment journey, ACCS 2 will provide peer support and activities alongside a range of other health promotion which will focus on stopping smoking, healthy eating, essential health screening, vaccinations and mental well-being.
How to Refer
Referrals to ACCS 2 will be made by a Lead Contact within each London Local Authority substance misuse team. Outreach teams and other providers who are aware of a person who is sleeping rough or at risk of sleeping rough can contact the relevant Lead Contact listed in this spreadsheet and discuss the referral with them. Please note: Lead Contacts in each Local Authority will have approval to make referrals and agree on funding packages.
Local Authorities will need to ensure that people who are admitted to the service have a discharge plan identified.
If a Local Authority is unable to access a suitable rehabilitation bed, the City of London currently has access to a dynamic purchasing system and will support the Local Authority to identify an appropriate spot-purchase arrangement.
Funding
The ACCS 2 is funded through a combination of a grant from the Department for Health and Social Care and Local Authority treatment budgets. Local Authorities will contribute £250 a night to the cost of the service, with the remainder of the costs covered by a block contract between the City of London and GSTT.
No Recourse to Public Funds
Any non-UK national that is eligible for free secondary care services can be referred to ACCS 1 and Intermediate Rehabilitation beds through the normal pathway. Unclear entitlement of a non-UK national to access free secondary care must not be a barrier to consider a referral to ACCS 1 and please see below information to help identify whether someone may be eligible for free secondary care:
NHS entitlements: migrant health guide
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-entitlements-migrant-health-guide
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