Six Out Of Seven Dwarfs Are Not Happy

I hate paper work and statistics are manipulating and never, ever show the full picture or give a true reflection of what is really going on!

When I meet a new client, I want them to feel like I take them seriously, that I care and that I can help. I believe I’m getting quite good at it, the problem is a new client comes to me, tells me a bit about whats going on in their life, their problem. This is a difficult and immense moment when a human being with stereotypical british set of values asks for help, and what do I have to do? present them with several bits of paper and forms?

Who’s bloody idea was that? Imagine you go to see your GP and you explain your issue to him/her and after listening for a few short minutes they pull out a pile of A4 paper approximately 4mm to 1cm thick and declares “before I can help you we must firstly complete this paper work? How would you feel?

I personally would tell him to stick it and search the internet for the required treatment!

So what is it all about, and why do these people, most of whom have been assessed on a regular basis for the past 30 years and still have the original addiction, why do they still endure it?

I can’t answer the second question, but I understand that services have to prove their worth. I know the value in recording the clients situation. On first inspection it seems we fill out an amount of paper work which was once a percentage of the amazon and then file it securely in a filing cabinets. So after many years completing the required forms I began asking myself if I can see the benefit in it and also if there is a better way?

So we complete the paper work then we add the information to the computer system, the paper work then goes in a file……..Then what? Then I carry on focusing on the client until I’m informed I have forgotten to update one of the forms and the ‘Data’ is due soon…..Mass Panic, this sounds very important.

Actually it is, because after I have put the information from the forms on to the computer, a colleague whose job I have never really understood, is asked to retrieve information on various aspects of our service like how many people do we have in treatment, how many of them are heterosexual blonde females over the age of 30, 6ft tall and are registered with a dentist in the area?

So now imagine you have a pot of money to purchase a service for your area, two candidates come to you one tells you that they should get the money because they need to remove quite a bit of graffiti and the second candidate comes to you and says with your money we can work with the 18% of people in your community which cause 87% of the crime.

Who do you give the money to?

Damn! I want to hate the paper work, I want to ridicule the statistics. Ok, perhaps 6/7 dwarfs aren’t happy, maybe grumpy is pulling them all down? Maybe if they picked a different 7 the level of mental health would increase………statistically speaking of course.

I guess it’s not the forms or the number crunching that angers and frustrates people, but the cold nature by which commissioners ignore the kinesthetics of our work and focus on number crunching and finance. I know firmly, that as a worker in a charitable organisation I have to show my worth to those cold commissioners, they decide who I work for or whether I even have a job next time the contract is up.

Somewhere along the line we are all represented by numbers, I know my colleagues, past and present are passionate about the work they do and as long as they fill out the correct paper work, I’m sure they will continue the great work they do.

Finally, I mean no disrespect to those vertically challenged by using this title……..I’m sure they, including Snow White are very happy……except grumpy of course

 

 

‘ere, mate…

I’m walking home on a foggy autumn evening, the brown leaves on the ground are slipping under my feet.

5 minutes from home and in the near distance I see 5 young boys, about 13/14 years old messing about and taking up the footpath. I must be getting old because there was a vague feeling of intimidation.

Here we go, shoulders back head up, add a subtle swagger to my stride. Thus reducing the look of vulnerability. In NLP terms I believe its referred to as walking with grace and power.

I make it past the first lad, track suit bottoms tucked in socks, cap slightly tilted to the left, you know the type. Just as I feel I’m getting clear of them a tiny voice behind me says;

“ere, mate…”

Now, between those two words and him finishing his sentence, this is what my internal voice said to me;

“damn, what the hell will he ask for? will he ask me to go and buy him some cigarettes? or perhaps alcohol? if he asks for Lambrini I don’t think I could contain the hysteria!”

It must have been less than a second.

anyway, back to it;

“ere mate, when you coming back to my school?”

my internal voice said;

“ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha”

with a smile I replied,

“Which School mate?”

He told me which school he attends, its a specialist school for boys with, in many cases, behavioural issues. The fond memories of going to the school to speak to the boys about drugs, alcohol and common sense come flooding back and also eating breakfast in the school hall with them.

As I explained I would not be going back due to a job change, his mate, track suit bottoms tucked in socks, cap slightly tilted to the left interjected with, “don’t blame you for not going back there”.

But I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed the fact that my prejudice was shattered and that, although I don’t remember this lad (and it’s not a big school) he remembered me and there for why I was at the school…

Its a shame the new ‘Risky Behaviour Service’ are not allowed to pass on their knowledge to young people in our local schools, because they will never have what I experienced today.

Endings and Beginings

The sun has now set on my time as the young person’s substance misuse worker in Harrogate and the new dawn has arrived…and I’m happy…and I’m settled but best of all growing in confidence.

Looking back and reflecting on the last few months I can say I’m proud of my professionalism, if you read my blog at the time, when I had just learnt my fate, you’ll remember I was upset, I was the ‘jilted boyfriend’. the trouble is when you work alone which many of the young person’s workers do in North Yorkshire and I’m sure all over the UK, the role, to me, became an identity. I was the young person’s worker for the Harrogate District….just me.

Then someone comes along with an idea to do things differently, they don’t need me anymore and they didn’t even have the decency to tell me to my face. Not even a thank you for all the hours I put in above and beyond the 9-5!

But I had little control over it, or so I thought, until I begin to look back, further back.

In November 2011 I asked my employer if they would transfer my contract to another provider who were located within Harrogate. at the time I did this because I felt I would get more support for me and the service. I also felt that I needed the surroundings of a drug treatment service. I got my wish, and in April I moved.

Fast forward to July 2012. I learnt I would not be part of the new service, my counter part in Craven got his redundancy letter, but my new employer held back.

Fast forward again to 31st August 2012, I had just applied for a position within adult drug treatment in Harrogate, I came home to find my redundancy letter waiting for me on the door mat. Ironically it was the last day of my contract. The following Monday I spoke to my boss, she told me that now I had been issued with redundancy I was eligible for redeployment, and as there was a position available within the Harrogate service she was in a position to offer me the post, which I accepted…..obviously.

You might read this and think “how lucky” but I believe that’s not the case, I made my own luck, I put my self in this position, granted with the help of others, but it was me who requested the help. over the years I have become good, very good at building rapport with others quickly. I have maintained many excellent professional relationships which I was able to call on when needed. I will never forget the help and support I have received and would happily repay them 100 times over.

I am beginning to thrive at work once again and it’s a feeling I enjoy but that’s not the end, next year is full of change again!

I’ll keep you posted

Thank you

Mike

Hidden Harm

The dawn of a new service is upon us in North Yorkshire, and as I move forward and reintegrate myself with adult clients I can see a potential gap in service provision for young people and substance misuse.

My understanding is that North Yorkshire Risky Behaviour Service (NYRBS) will offer support to Tier 3 clients only. according to the commissioner of NYRBS

“young people can be referred to targeted youth support who will be able to work with a young person who requires additional support”

I get the distinct impression that Hidden Harm is an after thought and has not been made part of the new contract. In the hope that this isn’t true, I google’d North Yorkshire County Council and in their home page search I typed ‘Hidden Harm’ it returned with ‘No Results’.

I find it difficult to understand why the largest county in the UK has little to say about an issue which affects between 250,000 and 350,000 children of problem drug users in the UK – about one for every problem drug user (Estimation from Executive Summary of the report of an Inquiry by the ACMD 2003).

In disbelief I accessed the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children’s Board website, here I found plenty of information on what to do and where to access help and support for young people/children at risk, but Hidden Harm? I did not see it mentioned anywhere. In this case I thought well these guys probably have it covered in all the other information they have? At least I hope they do, but again I could not find any information on it.

The question remains, If a young person in North Yorkshire lives with substance using parents/siblings and Social Services do not see it as being a suitable referral in terms of safeguarding, who offers that young person support? When the young person asks “Why does my mum or dad drink/take drugs?” who is going to answer that question.

For all the excellent work Targeted Youth provide I do not believe it is high on their agenda and so will Hidden Harm be given the attention it needs.

I will be watching carefully, and now that I’ll be working in adult substance misuse it’s an issue which will occur over and over again.

I will update on this post as information becomes available.

Mike

The Future Is Coming, Look Busy!!

I’m in a clearer frame of mind today, I have so much left to sort out so that my future runs a little smother than my past, but it’s achievable and I can see the pathway ahead of me.

In light of recent events, I have had to change my future plans but its an opening, an opportunity to head down a different road and one which I hope will be more secure, financially speaking.

I want to continue my work in substance misuse but I have decided to apply to university to do a nursing degree. I have missed this years intake so my aim is to apply for 2013 intake. that means I need to find work for a year as I doubt my redundancy package will last more than a few weeks if that. there are the metaphorical ‘Irons in the fire’ but nothing set in stone.

I would like also to publicly thank CRI (my current employer) I’m sure many employers in this situation would have little choice but to open the door and let me go come the end of the contract, they have offered me advice, guidance and support in job interviews and applying for jobs and are looking at the possibility of giving me a temporary contract for a couple of months. I could not ask any more of them. Thank You!

I should add at this point that the idea to remove experienced and successful workers from the largest county in the UK is that of the Commissioner from North Yorkshire County Council. Who, as it happens has little or no experience in Working in Substance Misuse her self. In her defence she did seek the opinions of other professionals before going ahead with the plan to recede into a medical model of drug and alcohol support for young people, though these were all nurses! (Please read previous blog about beliefs) basically she had her idea and then found the information and backing to support what she wanted. “energy flows where your focus goes” The historical evidence and many reasons why a medical model to support young people with substance misuse issues should be avoided would have contradicted her own beliefs so therefore where clearly over looked.

So here we go, I am beginning to addapt in order to survive, it’s what us humans are designed to do.

Mike

 

Like a rabbit in the headlights

For those of you who have followed my blogs over the last couple of years, you’ll know how I feel about the work I have been doing. You will no doubt have read about the struggles I have had, from HADA going in to liquidation to being detached and unsupported for two years, then a transfer to a national charity which was to be the making of me and the young persons substance misuse service.

Yesterday I was informed that my role as Harrogate Young Persons Substance Misuse worker would be gone as of 1st September 2012.

It’s safe to say I’m heart broken, I’m struggling to hold back the tears as I write.

I don’t wish for this to be a bitter and twisted blog entry, though I am, understandably angry.

So what does this mean for me? Firstly, bankruptcy! This will be unavoidable with out an income. My worst fear at the moment would be working, say, in a supermarket, bumping into professionals whom I once worked along side. I mean no disrespect to anyone who works in supermarkets. I say this is my fear because for me it would symbolise my fall.

What does this mean for the young folk of Harrogate District? Well, there will be a service. Tier 2 work (advice & guidance). Will be given via Targeted Youth Support, Tier 3 interventions will be given by a nurse.

The nurse jobs were advertised before I was told I would be made redundant which leaves a bitter taste. Compass, the new provider, are offering 20k – 25k per annum for this role. From my experience, this would no doubt be a newly qualified nurse? Would it not? Where would you find a newly qualified nurse who could have experience delivering psychosocial interventions, motivational interviewing skills and experience of working in substance misuse. And of course, a nurse willing to take on the responsibility and the mileage of covering Skipton, Harrogate and selby areas?

I don’t feel I can offer much of a service at this moment in time, I will be taking some time off to figure out what the hell I’m going to do. One of the things I learnt working in this field, is that, if my head is not in the right place, I will do more harm than good to my client.

I hope the new service works, and works for the young people who need it, though I have little faith in it.

As I have mentioned before, blogging helps me clear my head and focus. On what’s important.

Kind regards

Mike

Belief

My younger brother has recently started a blog. In his first post he talks in brief about his atheism and how he had never fully understood it. He recently decided to read in to atheism in a bid to learn more.

http://athiestsocialist.blogspot.co.uk/

I believe in the first instance this is a good move. A 19 year old holding a belief and deciding to learn about it. However, as I think about it, I see that his choice of books to read was a book which would confirm his belief as an atheist and not challenge it.

This is a common decision and one, I can confidently say, we all do on a regular basis. Most smokers, for example, tend to believe that smoking causes them to relax, they smoke to relax? they use a stimulant substance to relax? most smokers would never question this as it would cause cognitive dissonance or a thought that contradicts their belief. This is uncomfortable and it will inevitably provoke change. I use this example because I smoke and a couple of years ago after deciding to quit I decided to learn about the psychological addiction to tobacco. Do you see? At this point in my life I did the same thing! I wanted to quit smoking so sought out information which would confirm my decision to quit. Had I not wished to quit and come across the same information I would have unconsciously dismissed it and carried on my old belief.

We all hold beliefs, some, in a higher being or greater force. As human beings we hold many mundane beliefs. I have recently come across old beliefs which I had forgotten or never knew I had. Whilst studying Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) I have been challenged to be honest with myself and look deeper at myself. While learning about time lines as a tool to study my past, I used my own professional goals as an issue to tackle. It was during this session I uncovered an old belief in which I was stopping myself from working a second job.

This dates back about 5 years ago, when I had multiple jobs. This started to impact on my health and family life. I created a goal for myself to get a job which paid enough so that I could just work Monday to Friday 9-5. I achieved this and in doing so created a belief that this was all I should be doing. Now my situation has changed this belief has been holding me back, because of this underlying belief, which was by now unconcious, I was holding back on getting that second job or setting up a project away from my 9-5.

Energy Flows Where Your Focus Goes! 

Beliefs can and do change, when life feels uncomfortable and your not sure why, chances are there may be a shift in one or more of your beliefs, just like, confusion occurs when your brain takes on new information.

As always feel free to comment

 

Alcohol Education Through Theatre ‘My Name Is Bill’

My Job is so varied, no two days are the same. there are so many different aspect to my role I want ‘musingsubstance’ to reflect this. Hopefully it will give some people an insight into my work and maybe a talking point for others.

I have been guilty in recent months of not appreciating the job I do. I love my job and the passion & drive to do it well still exists, it is not that I had forgotten, more that I found myself wrapped up in the politics and other influences which should be left to managers and team leaders.

I saw something yesterday which encouraged me to look at alcoholism from the sufferers perspective. It was a one man performance of a story called My Name Is Bill.

Based on the true story of Bill Wilson, an investment banker who finds himself in a hotel lobby struggling to fight his compulsion to drink. The solo performance by Bryan Bounds takes the audience through Bill’s life story from his first alcoholic drink to being penniless in a hotel, torn between the alcoholic drink in his hand and the telephone, which ultimately leads to him founding one of the biggest social movements of the 20th Century – Alcoholic Anonymous.

It’s 1pm on Monday 11th June 2012, I’m shown to the assembly hall of St Aidans High School, where the stage is set and the lighting is being adjusted for maximum impact. In front of me on the small stage is a leather chair with a side table, A telephone and a wireless radio setting the tone of the 1920’s.

As 350 sixth form students fill the room the voice of Bryan Bounds comes through the speakers. He asks “What is an alcoholic?” and instructs the students to use the worksheets to write down their thoughts.

Moments later A man in a sharp 3 piece suit enters the stage. Looking perturbed and agitated the story begins to unfold of his fall from grace.

He asks “what is an alcoholic?” he describes the common labels given to alcoholics and this serves to highlight that this intelligent, once successful man before us dressed in his suit could also be an alcoholic.

He goes on to describe his first taste of alcohol and how under the influence of alcohol became the man you want him to be.

an analogy which struck me, Alcohol is like ‘Jay Walking’ * you dodge cars and enjoy the thrill, then you get hurt and swear you wont do it again, then you break your arm and promise you’ve had it this time. Then you break both legs and once again say you’ll stop for good.

The story moves on to the state of addiction he finds himself in. he learns that alcoholism is like an allergy to alcohol. He has a body which can’t stand it and a mind which won’t let him stop doing it.

I’m sat engrossed in this mans life, although I have read the story many times I wonder how this story will end…….

But I’m not going to tell you how Bryan ended his interpretation of the story, though I have added the link to Amerrycan Theatre so feel free to contact them either to book the show for your project/school or to arrange to go along and see the performance.

Bill Wilson, who turn down a Nobel Peace Prize, Died January 24th 1971 after co-founding Alcoholics Anonymous.

http://amerrycanproductions.co.uk/social-theatre/alcoholism-my-name-is-bill 

*Jaywalking is an informal term commonly used in North America to refer to illegal or reckless pedestrian crossing of a roadway

Can a Drug Worker work effectively disassociated from a drug service?

It’s now June 2012, since November 2009 I have been employed by three different organisations and on September 1st 2012 I will change employers again. This is not because I have changed roles, but because different organisations keep taking over the contract.

Since July 2010 I have not been based within a drug service but with in a local authority children’s support service (previously known as connexions). In theory this should not have made much of an impact and on the face of it, possibly a good place to house a young person’s substance misuse service (YPSMS). this is a theory shared by a previous commissioner to the service, who to this day still feels that the YPSMS should be part of Targeted Youth Support (TYS).

I’m going to disagree! Yes there have been benefits, I have stronger links with TYS and I have had a few referrals from young people who have just popped in to ask a question or get advice, but I feel detached, I don’t know what is going on in the drug treatment world. The ‘Recovery Movement’ would have passed me by had it not been for Twitter and my own interest in all things substance use/misuse.

Working with young people, specialist prescribing does not come up too much [thankfully] but when it has, I have been out of the loop so long I have to seek information which I’m aware I once had. This alone I can cope with, but when coupled with the fact I can’t just get the answer from the worker next to me because the worker next to me is not aware ‘specialist prescribing’ exists, it starts to grind a little.

Then there is the fact that the YPSMS would be very likely to lose their identity as a specialist if it were to be gobbled up by the local authority. For example. When I first moved in to TRAX (as it is known) there was a worker who focused on teenage pregnancy, another who focused on career guidance. However, with the recent government cuts they are now all TYS workers.

This sounds a little self-indulgent so lets put it another way I currently work with 25-30 young people at any one time, TYS are limited to 16 for full-time workers.

Then we have the career opportunities for local authority staff, which are limited compared to those who work for Charities for example like Addaction, CRI or Lifeline etc.

Lets top that up with the fact that training budgets for local authority staff are also limited, whereas, the charity who currently employs me have given me access to so much training from ITEP to Crack training.

To add to the mix, when I come in to the office and have a winge about NDTMS everyone, including the TYS managers look at me as if I have just spoken in a foreign tongue.

I have made it work, I survived and so did the YPSMS but was the service as effective as it could have been? I’m aware that another worker may have done it differently. For two of the last two and a half years my employer/manager/substance misuse support were a 42 mile round trip away.

I audited my notes, in fact I was the only person to look at them for that period. I worked out of hours to visit youth clubs and children’s homes to create working relationships when looking back I could have sat on my backside and done very little….who would have known? 

I’m not saying I regret what I have done, I’m saying I did what I could, I got  the service through it but don’t want to go back to that way of working. It was not effective, the service did not fulfill anywhere near its full potential and so in turn neither did I.

I feel it’s important for a young person’s drug/alcohol service to be part of a local drug service. It’s important for a specialist worker to be surrounded by fellow drug/alcohol workers. Do you detach the worker from the drug service or the drug service from local authority? 

As always, I would welcome any views opinions

Regards

Mike

A War On Drugs or a vote winning tag line?

A War On Drugs or a vote winning tag line?.