Pan-London Substance Use Programme
About this programme
There is strong evidence that people who sleep rough experience some of the starkest health inequalities in London. The average age of death of a person who sleeps rough in England is under 50 years old. People who sleep rough also experience higher levels of multiple, complex co-morbidities than other groups including substance misuse and physical and mental health problems. Their lack of stable accommodation is a further barrier to engagement with treatment and healthcare which in turn creates a revolving door of homelessness, addiction, ill health and early death.
The Pan-London Substance Use Programme is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care via a protected drug and alcohol public health grant.
For key information about the programme’s services and referral information, see our Services page, or find a summary of services below.
Contact details
For further information and general enquiries about the programme, please email: PanLondonSMProgramme@cityoflondon.gov.uk.
Overview of services
(Post inpatient detoxification /stabilisation) Intermediate Rehabilitation Beds
Provided by Mildmay Hospital. The Mildmay Hospital
Intermediate rehabilitation support can be provided for people who are sleeping rough/ at risk of sleeping rough:
- if a Local Authority is unable to access a suitable residential rehabilitation facility at the time of referral to an in-patient detoxification / stabilisation unit.
- for those requiring ongoing assessment and care post in-patient detoxification or stabilisation i.e. additional support to manage co-existing physical and mental health needs/ongoing social care assessment.
Regional Homeless Engagement Substances Team (RhEST)
Provided by Phoenix Futures.
RhEST works across London and alongside local community teams (including substance use teams) to support people who sleep rough, or at risk of sleeping rough, to engage or re-engage with community substance use treatment.
Social Isolation and Recovery project
The Pan London Substance Misuse Programme completed a social isolation and recovery project during 2023/24. This work began with a rapid evidence assessment of interventions aiming to reduce isolation and promote recovery and a map of social isolation and recovery services for London, plus a map of London boroughs CHAIN data with Rough Sleeper Initiative (RSI) and Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment & Recovery Grant (RSDATG) funding allocations. In addition, a reflective toolkit was produced for professionals to look at simple ways to make changes to existing services to promote inclusiveness.