Substance use

What this means and what we are doing about it

Together, a group of services provide clear priorities for preventing and tackling health and social harms related to substance use going forward. They are:

The 2021 National Drug Strategy
2022 Substance Use Quality Commissioning Standards
2025 Health Needs Assessment
service reviews
stakeholder consultations

Although current support services are performing comparatively well in Stockton-on-Tees, supported by an increase in National Drug Strategy funding, the sector faces challenges relating to:

a changing drugs market
supply and trends
growing complexity
risks
stigma
health inequalities

Another challenge the sector is facing is health harms associated with substance use particularly for communities experiencing prolonged use, several identified risk factors or co-morbidities, or severe and multiple disadvantage.

This JSNA highlights opportunities to reduce harm, address inequalities and improve outcomes for those using and or experiencing harm due to substances. Taking forward recommendations will require a coordinated approach to ensure that support is accessible, effective and responding to current needs.

Stockton Recovery Service summary

Stockton Recovery Service is currently delivered by Change Grow Live (CGL) and Recovery Connections and includes a multi-disciplinary team of:

recovery coordinators or coaches
nurses
mental health professionals
social workers
group workers
specialist and targeted roles

Over 30% of the team have direct lived experience of substance use (and more with familial lived experience), which is recognised as good practice for effectively building relationships, engaging communities and supporting people into recovery.

The service provides a range of substance use treatment and recovery support options to both adults and young people including support for opiates, non-opiates and alcohol (including poly-use) through a mix of medical and Psychosocial Interventions (PSI), Harm Reduction approaches and access to residential rehabilitation.

The service also plays a key role in preventing and learning from overdoses and drug related deaths, facilitating wider workforce development, dispensing Naloxone to partners and the community, and tackling stigma whilst promoting visible recovery.

The number of adults in treatment for drugs in 2024 was 1315, which includes 170 for non-opiates and alcohol, 230 for non-opiates, and 915 for opiates. Most new presentations to treatment are aged 30 to-49, male, white, heterosexual and do not report a disability. Those who enter treatment for opiates are also least likely to be in stable employment and most likely to have an urgent housing need.

The service has dramatically reduced average waiting times from referral to assessment and increased the proportion of clients successfully accessing treatment following referral, by introducing a full-time walk-in offer with same day prescribing in 2024. Stockton Recovery Service has also made significant progress against the 'From Harm to Hope' ambitions outlined including becoming a regional lead in some target areas.

Stakeholder Engagement 2025

In 2025, 4 focus groups and 4 surveys were completed with stakeholders to gather feedback around awareness, needs, challenges and support for substance use.

Responses were grouped into the 4 themes.

Awareness and education

There were concerns about young peoples' lack of awareness regarding drug and alcohol effects due to insufficient education. Communication campaigns, training and better promotion of support services are being suggested to improve overall knowledge and awareness.

Wider determinants of health

Issues like deprivation, social inequality, the COVID-19 pandemic, homelessness, and unemployment were associated with the potential of increasing substance use. Substance use was also identified as being something that was often used as a coping mechanism for trauma and mental health issues.

Views on drug use

There are varied views on drugs, with some seeing it as a risk for offending and others as pain relief. The availability of drugs in Stockton-on-Tees was a concern. We need to recognise that there is a need to prioritise saving lives and providing help over crime reduction.

Unmet needs

There is a gap in mental health provision, housing, family support and specific services for ethnic communities and female-only groups. Improvements included better promotion, more outreach, integrated services and dedicated spaces for young people. A holistic approach with collaborative working was also emphasised.

Consultation with Partners - Local Priorities (2023)

In January 2023 Public Health held a consultation event, with over 30 local partners from across the system and people with lived experience. Discussions were focused around 4 themes (Adults, CYP, Healthcare, Recovery and or Communities), with 10 priority areas identified based on local needs, gaps and insights:

improved physical healthcare offer and access to healthcare services
improved integration with mental health services, and delivery of trauma-informed services
improved integration with housing, probation, community safety, licensing, safeguarding and or social care, domestic abuse services, local businesses and VCSE sector, to help address complex needs and or multiple disadvantage
improved integration with children's services, schools and or colleges and VCSE Youth Sector
targeted support for young adults, care leavers, night-time economy and 16 to 25 year old transitional support
continued development of whole-family, multi-agency, harm reduction and overdose prevention approaches
improved outreach and out-of-hours provision, including recovery support
targeted work around tackling stigma and promoting visible recovery
improved marketing, promotion and communication of available services, including new Drug Strategy funded interventions
ongoing engagement with people with lived experience to inform further service developments

Recommendations

The Substance Use Health Needs Assessment completed in 2025 provided over 50 specific recommendations for addressing local need, grouped into 3 themes. The 3 themes have been condensed into 11 overarching recommendations.