Who is the service aimed at?

People considered to be Hazardous drinkers – those whose pattern of use increases the risk of harm to the individual and the public

People considered to be Harmful drinkers – those whose alcohol use is damaging the individual's physical and mental health

What are the benefits?

By setting up a structured plan for individuals to reduce or eliminate alcohol consumption and avoid high-risk situations, this service can help improving a person's overall health and help them to stop offending.

Why was the service set up?

This service aims to address the link between alcohol consumption, public disorder and criminal activity. Judging by the high numbers of alcohol-related hospital stays, it is estimated that over a quarter of adults in Oxfordshire binge drink.  This service aims to reduce the number of alcohol-related offences, including criminal damage, thefts and assaults, and educate people about the correlation between high levels of alcohol consumption and criminal activity.

Where is the service running?

The service currently operates across Oxfordshire and in Buckinghamshire.

How it operates:

Most people are refered into this service via custody suites, when someone is arrested for an alcohol-related offence. Other agencies such as Probation also refers cases tand any orgasnisation can also discuss any potential cases with a SMART worker, if they are unsure if their referral is appropriate.

The SMART worker will use a World Health Organisation AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) tool to assess the individual. This will establish their current drinking patterns and help develop a suitable care plan. One-to-one counselling, alcohol awareness programmes and specialist treatment referrals are provided to support people in managing their drinking habits.

The Alcohol Service is designed to build trust with the individual and help them to develop strategies to enable them to take more control of their lives through education and support.

How to get in contact

You can be referred in any of the following ways:

• Visiting an Open Access Drop-in
• Via your drug or alcohol worker
• Via your gp, housing officer or other key worker
• Making an appointment to meet a SMART worker to assess your needs by:
  
  • Emailing info@smartcjs.org.uk
  • Contacting our Oxfordshire services here
  • Contacting our Buckinghamshire services here