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Mersey Care Trust - Get Clean Campaign

DRINK & DRUGS NEWS :: DDN NEWS LISTING

Merseyside Trust under fire from service users over use of shock tactics Merseyside Care NHS Trust has provoked an angry reaction from online service user forums with a campaign that uses a 'Get Clean' slogan and imagery to get drug users into treatment. But addictions service manager Bob Dale has defended the Trust's use of controversial tactics as a way of getting noticed to save lives. The campaign uses pictures of a mocked up range of household cleaning products, including washing powder, shower gel and washing up liquid, with the words 'get clean', 'fast track drug detox and treatment', a freephone number and the address of a local drop-in centre. The large images have already been posted on local bus shelters, sides of buses and phone boxes. Members of the National User Network (NUN) say the campaign could not have had genuine input from service users and reported that groups in their areas were 'horrified' at the insulting and negative labelling of drug users. An ex-drug user, Kevin Manley, called for Mr Dale's resignation on his online blog. But Bob Dale told DDN that his research had been thorough; that a focus group from the Kevin White Unit, a local inpatient detox unit, had chosen the name and theme of the campaign and suggested the advertising sites. He had then previewed the campaign at an event with a lot of drug and alcohol treatment services in the area, and had made a point of gaining approval from the NTA's regional representative. According to Mr Dale, just one person at the open meeting suggested that the campaign might upset a few people, but in the main it had been 'positively received and highly praised'. 'We were in the dark about how best to reach people,' he said. 'We wanted to give them simple access into treatment. Before, we were getting a lot of anecdotal stuff about how long you had to wait to get into treatment. This campaign gives one message, one number. A lot of the time it's about windows of opportunity - you've got to grasp them'. Mr Dale added that he welcomed suggestions for future initiatives, but had no intention of withdrawing the 'Get Clean' campaign, as it was already attracting a 'steady response' from new treatment clients

Technorati Tags: Get Clean campaign, Mersey Care NHS Trust, Drug treatment, detox, rehab, stigma, mental health, patients, service users, carers, addiction, Drink & Drug News, National User Network, NUN, NTA, representation,

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