Community Prescribing

KCA has several years of experience in providing specialist prescribing and shared care services.

KCA works in close partnership with service users, GPs and pharmacists to ensure that a thorough assessment and plan of care is produced for each service user.

Frequently Asked Questions for Prescribing

KCA's prescribing service works in the community to reduce harm both to the individual and to society and to reduce offending behaviour caused by substance misuse by offering information and advice, comprehensive assessment and care planning and by providing, where appropriate, substitute opiate medication on prescription, which are licenced and in line with Drug Misuse and Dependence: UK Guidelines on Clinical Management ( the 'Orange Book').

We encourage service users to make informed decisions about treatment options, offering a range of care packages, backed by advice from both the Clinical Team and the Keyworking Team.

Care packages are designed to meet individual needs and goals and are reviewed every time the service user meets with his or her keyworker.  Treatment options include

  • Community short term prescribing
  • Community maintenance prescribing (shared care)
  • Community detox
  • In patient detox
  • Community rehabilitation (through Day Programme services)
  • Residential rehabilitation (where this can be funded through Social Services interventions)

Medical reviews take place a minimum of once every three months and information is shared, with the consent of the service user,  with his/her GP and other professionals involved in his/her care.  

In addition to the normal health checks we provide, service users can also take advantage of our ECG, Doppler Scanning and Dual Diagnosis clinics.  ECG and Doppler scanning enable our Clinical Team to look within the service user's body and detect early signs of organ damage caused by substance misuse.

ECG, Doppler and Dual diagnosis clinics provide early referral to specialist interventions, such as

  • Psychiatry
  • Gastroenterology
  • Cardio-thoracic
  • Vascular services
  • Hepatology

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