A NEW service to help people recovering from addictions has been launched.

North Ayrshire Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service (NADARS) is a new joined-up addictions service from North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership.

The new service will see staff from NHS Ayrshire & Arran and North Ayrshire Council now working as a single team to support people to create recovery journeys that meet individual needs.

Through NADARS, clients recovering from addictions will be seen by different professionals covering a wide range of disciplines including registered nurses, social workers, addiction workers, support workers, occupational therapists, consultant psychiatrists, GPs and pharmacy prescribers.

The integrated service aims to ensure that clients will be seen by a qualified member of staff within three weeks from referral. Clients will be involved in reviewing their recovery care plan and their family will be invited to be part of this process.

Thelma Bowers, Head of Service for Mental Health with North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “This is an exciting development which will improve the overall quality and access to services, demonstrating better and more positive outcomes with improved well-being for service users by anticipating needs and preventing them from arising.

“Delivering services in a more joined-up way also enables locally-led planning and true community and service user engagement and participation in the way services are delivered.”

Anyone can refer to NADARS, including self-referrals, and the service can be contacted on one single telephone number, 01294 476000