Gwent Community Prescribing

Kaleidoscope commenced a Gwent-wide Community Prescribing Service on 1st April 2010, which provides a substitute prescribing service to opiate dependant adults in Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen and Monmouthshire. The service also provides rapid prescribing for those who are involved in the criminal justice system through the Drugs Intervention Programme (DIP).

Service users who are prescribed will usually have a care coordinator with Drugaid's GOALS service or the DIP team. This is because prescribing should be part of a wider, holistic package of care. Those who require a prescription with no other support can opt for this, but they must still work towards overcoming their drug problem.  

The Gwent Community Prescribing Service is led by Service Manager Cerys Lee, who is based at the Lighthouse, a Multi-agency base in Pontypool, along with the service's prescription coordinator. A team of nurses are co-located with community drugs workers from the GOALS service, as well as DIP workers, at a variety of locations across Gwent. This ensures that service users can be seen at locations convenient to them. Prescribing is overseen by Kaleidoscope's medical team, with prescriptions for substitute medication being placed with community pharmacies across the area. In addition, individuals who are prescribed within the service can elect to attend one of Kaleidoscope's 'in-house' dispensaries in Newport or Tredegar if they wish.

As well as substitute prescribing, the service provides a range of clinical interventions across Gwent, including health information and advice; blood-borne virus screening and vaccination for Hepatitis B; drug testing; comprehensive assessment and onward referral; and case management for those electing to receive 'low intensity' treatment.  

Kaleidoscope Project (Pontypool)

The Lighthouse

George Street

Pontypool

NP4 6B2

Tel: 01495 742314

Fax: 01495 742326