OVERVIEW OF HEALTH LIAISON

Vacancies

Where we operate

Conferences

Subcommittee

Cooperation with the professional community

Let’s Be Friendly WithOur Friends:

Friends on the Alcoholism Front

So let us work alongside all theseprojects of promise to hasten therecovery of those millions who havenot yet found their way out. Thesevaried labors do not need our specialendorsement; they need only a helpinghand when, as individuals, wecan possibly give it. (Bill W, 1958)

GOVERNMENTAL FRAMEWORKSFOR SUBSTANCE MISUSE

Scotland: The Road to Recovery (2008)

Wales: Substance Misuse Framework for Wales (2013)

England: Putting Full Recovery First (2012)

PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND

Mutual Aid Reference Group

Facilitated Access to Mutual Aid

Ensure AA is accurately represented; inform Fellowship of progress; safeguard Traditions

Strategic Action Plan (underpinned by evidence) and other documents

PHE STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN

The main item of the Plan that will affect our Fellowship is for PHE Centre teams to establish a relationship with representatives of local mutual aid programmes at the level of Intergroup.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH AND CARE EXCELLENCE

(NICE)

NICE Clinical Guidance CG115 (2011): Alcohol Use Disorders

Page 236: Setting the context for 12-Step facilitation and Alcoholics Anonymous…’Attendance has been associated with successful abstinence from alcohol in a number of studies (see Ferri and colleagues [2006] for a systematic review)’.

Page 246: Twelve Step Facilitation…’TSF is based on the 12-step or AA concept that alcohol misuse is a spiritual and medical disease. As well as a goal of abstinence, this intervention aims to actively encourage commitment to and participation in AA meetings’.

THE WORK TO DATE

London Boroughs of Islington, Croydon, Hillingdon and Hounslow

London-wide conference

Outside London: West Midlands

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN FOR AA?

Increased numbers at meetings

Increase in Twelfth Step calls

Requests to give talks and presentations

Requests to meet people prior to meetings

Increased respectability and credibility for AA in professional and wider community

CHALLENGES FOR THE FELLOWSHIP

Unease with respect to:

Traditions (endorsement/affiliation)

Perceptions about coercion

Over-saturation at smaller meetings

More dually-addicted people at meetings

Vacant liaison officer posts