New Community Detoxification Guidelines Published

The Ana Liffey Drug Project have published revised Community Detoxification Guidelines for benzodiazepine and methadone.

Community Detoxification supports people to reduce or stop their use of illicit or prescribed opioids and benzodiazepines through an organised process involving key workers and prescribing doctors within the community. It can be accessed as an alternative option to in-patient residential detoxification, or as a necessary step toward meeting entry requirements for residential treatment. The initiative is overseen by an expert steering committee who are leaders in addiction services from medical, community/voluntary and research fields.

The Community Detoxification Guidelines were developed in the North Inner City Drugs Task Force Area in Dublin, in response to a gap in treatment options for service users wishing to reduce or cease their methadone or benzodiazepine use.

The protocols aim to outline a clear process for how service users are assessed for a Community Detoxification and how GPs and key workers can coordinate to provide effective supports while managing the risk of relapse and overdose. In 2011, the Community Detoxification Protocols were launched nationally through a number of pilot sites.

Building on the experience of the pilot scheme, the Community Detoxification Guidelines were reviewed by the Ana Liffey Drug Project and the Community Detoxification Steering Committee in 2015. The current guidelines were developed from the original guidelines and provide updated information on Community Detoxification. The new guidelines are now available to services nationally. By building on experience, these guidelines aim to improve service delivery and ensure the best possible practice.

The current guidelines provide updated information including:

• guidance for the detoxification of Z hypnotics;
• removal of the mandatory broker role in the Community Detoxification structure;
• different stages in the detoxification process;
• an initial assessment by the GP to ensure service user suitability;
• acknowledgement of dual diagnosis and mental health symptoms as a factor in the Community Detoxification process.

The following Community Detoxification Steering Group members were responsible for the development of the guidelines: Nicki Killeen
Dr Ide Delargy (ICGP); Dr Austin O’Carroll (Safetynet); Dr Des Crowley (HSE); Dr Joanne Fenton (Access team); Dr Suzi Lyons (HRB); Ruaidhri McAuliffe (UISCE); Tony Duffin (Ana Liffey Drug Project); Brian Friel (Peter McVerry Trust)

Click here for more information on Community Detoxification and to download the guidelines.