Durham Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Ron Hogg visited Recovery Injectable Opioid (RIO) Clinic to learn more about a high intensity treatment for patients, who continue to inject street heroin.
This clinic run by Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, was opened in November 2012 after winning a competitive tender for funds from the Department of Health.The aim of the service is to help people stop injecting, stop using street heroin and provide a platform to recovery.
Following his visit, Mr Hogg said: “I was very pleased to be invited to attend the clinic, it provides an excellent service and most importantly it is helping people on the road to recovery”
RIO provides time limited, supervised injectable diamorphine (pharmaceutical heroin) to patients to help them stop using street heroin, stop injecting and start their recovery journey to abstinence.
Patients attend once or twice a day, up to seven days a week. Treatment is time limited and recovery plans are discussed at the beginning, during and end of the treatment phase.As part of their treatment, patients also receive intensive support and psychosocial interventions.
Dr Soraya Mayet, clinical director of substance misuse services added: “Patients have come to us with over ten years of drug taking when other treatments haven’t worked and they have health complications and numerous criminal offences.
Since starting with RIO they have stopped taking street heroin or other substances and started to make progress towards achieving their personal recovery goals.”