Background and establishment of the Addiction Clinical Care Suite (ACCS): a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary inpatient addiction service in London

There have been significant changes to the provision of drug and alcohol services in England in the last 15 years. In parallel, growing rates of morbidity associated with alcohol and drug use have increased the need for effective ways of caring for the comprehensive medical, addiction, psychological and social needs of people with substance use. The closure of inpatient detoxification services across London over the last decade left a noticeable treatment gap for a city of nearly 9.5 million people. Within this context the ACCS was set up and commissioned to provide inpatient care focusing on medically assisted withdrawal and stabilisation for patients who are at risk of rough
sleeping and/ or suffering with complex medical and psychiatry comorbidity