Kristin RothertHead of Clinical Standards & QualityBridge Projectkristin.rothert@bradford.nhs.uk

Dr Beverley Bray PhDHead of PerformanceBridge Projectbeverley.bray@bradford.nhs.uk

Setting up and delivering a Specialist

Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Service in a

Primary Care Setting

1. Consider:.

What is the need within your own practice area?

2. Consider:.

What are the barriers to delivering this service from both your own and the patient's perspective?

First decision: Funding the service........

Second decision: What does success look like?

Second decision: What does success look like?

Second decision: What does success look like?

Second decision: What does success look like?

Third decision: Making it happen – who needs to be around the table?

Fourth decision: Making it happen – what needs agreeing prior to launch?

Clinical standards?What documents?

Who?.

Where?.

What model?Cost / funding sources?

Implementation – getting stuck in!

1. Identify practices / areas with sufficient need for the service and

2. Identifying the target cohort

3. Contact target cohort and invite for a medication review

4. Assess and work with cohort identified

Delivering the service – lessons learnt

Delivering the service – demonstrating outcomes....

Delivering the service – demonstrating outcomes....

Background

Bridge Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Service

• Operating since mid 2008

• Re-designed in January 2010

• Lone worker employed and supervised by Bridge

• Located within GP practices

• Initially funded by Voluntary Sector grant funding

• A Brave New World – reporting to NDTMS

The story so far

223 individuals helped since January 2010

75 individuals helped since April 2012

The story so far

50% helped to stop their medication completely

50% reduced by between 25-80% (average 52.5%)

The story so far

Average 24 weeks receiving support

Between 9 – 47 weeks for a medication free outcome

Where to from here?

What ideas / thoughts will you be taking back to your area / practice?