Community Alcohol Team
Alcohol Linkworkers provide specialist alcohol assessments and structured support as part of Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust. They work across the city offering one-to-one appointments, weekly or fortnightly, in doctor’s surgeries or at nearby health centres. Alcohol Linkworkers come from a background of nursing, occupational therapy, social work or a general professional experience in alcohol.
The Community Alcohol Team can offer support such as;
- One-to-one appointments
- Tips on safer drinking
- Detox assessment
- Advice for relatives or carers
- Community care services
Their work covers a range of drinking patterns including drinking levels that present a higher risk to health as well as dependent drinking levels that present a risk to cutting down or stopping. They can also signpost people who are affected by someone else’s drinking so they can access support for their own needs. The Alcohol Linkworkers also complete detox assessments. They advise people whether a detox is necessary and the safest location to do this e.g. at home or in a residential environment.
Accessing the Community Alcohol Team
Every doctor’s surgery in Manchester has a dedicated Alcohol Linkworker so that patients and staff can easily access the service through their local GP.