Home > The relationship between dual diagnosis: substance misuse and dealing with mental health issues.

Crome, Ilana and Chambers, Pat and Frisher, Martin and Bloor, Roger and Roberts, Diane (2009) The relationship between dual diagnosis: substance misuse and dealing with mental health issues. London: Social Care Institute for Excellence. SCIE Research briefing 30.

External website: http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/briefings/brie...

Key messages:
• The prevalence of co-existing mental health and substance use problems (termed ‘dual diagnosis’) may affect between 30 and 70 per cent of those presenting to health and social care settings.
• There is growing awareness of the serious social, psychological and physical complications of the combined use of substances and mental health problems.
• Given the multiplicity of social, familial and economic problems associated with dual diagnosis, social workers have a distinctive role to play in multi-agency work.
• Interprofessional training and working, encompassing statutory and non-statutory sectors is essential.
• Knowledge of screening and assessment for dual diagnosis should be core training elements for health and social care practitioners. The effectiveness of treatment and other interventions is improving.
• Service provision should actively engage users and carers from initial assessment to continuity of long-term care. The importance of understanding and working with service user’s experience and perspective cannot be underestimated.
• Raising awareness among non-professionals, including carers, can make a major contribution to improved service access and treatment

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