THE manager of Barnsley’s only private clinic for substance addictions says alcohol is the main reason people are admitted.
It comes after council figures revealed hospital admissions for alcohol related conditions continue to rise.
Linwood House is a drug and alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation centre with 34 beds. It has been helping people to recover from drug and alcohol misuse since 2006.
Lynn Ahern, manager of Linwood House in New Lodge, said: “Alcohol is the biggest issue, that is a fact. We predominantly treat alcohol addiction.
“People are here to get well. Some people just chose to have the detox, but others need to be in a recovery setting for a bit longer. Addiction is a relapsing condition, some people get it first time, some don’t.”
The latest council figures show that Barnsley’s hospital admissions rates for men are at 987 per 100,000, up by 61 on the previous year, and 746 per 100,000 for women, up by 142.
A report said this is particularly affecting the town’s most deprived communities, and problems can include physical and mental health issues, homelessness, unemployment, child development and domestic abuse.
Linwood House is a drug and alcohol detoxification and residential rehabilitation centre and provides adult inpatient treatment for substance abuse and dependence including alcohol, cocaine, cannabis, heroin, opiates, legal highs and prescription drugs.
It’s therapy approach is focussed on helping people address their dependence on drugs or alcohol and to make choices and changes so they recover.
It takes referrals from organisations, from families and self referrals.
There are doctors, nurses, mental health nurses and support workers in place to help people with their addictions.
For alcohol dependency, the typical detox period is seven to ten days and 14-28 days for drug dependency.
People are assessed by the centre’s GP, and detox plans are agreed. People are monitored throughout their detox by nurses. If they are well enough, will attend therapy sessions two times a day, though this is compulsory for rehabilitation.
Lynn Ahern, centre manager, said: “We are the only centre in Barnsley and it’s important to know it is accessible to everyone. People can come here and staff will talk to them about addiction.”
