The History of HAGA
In 1979 Tony Smythe began
a discussion in Haringey Community Health Council about the need to do
something about street drinking in Finsbury Park. The public
authorities didn’t seem interested in the problem and there was no
service for heavy drinkers, let alone those who were alcoholics. The
CHC decided to do a piece of research.
No-one cared
This report found that there was little concern about alcohol and
excess drinking as a personal or social problem. Most doctors were of
the view that nothing could be done for alcoholics but let them drink
themselves to death. St Bernard’s Hospital, Ealing had a service where
willing people were sent for detox and rehab, but there was no
follow-up or aftercare.
HAGA launched
At the report’s launch Don Steele encouraged the CHC to fundraise for a
counselling service, and Haringey Action Group on Alcohol was formed
and registered as a charity. The first donation of £500 from Marks and
Spencer paid for a counsellor, Zbigniew (Ziggy) Kotowicz. Community
Health and Social Services allowed two of their staff to work as
volunteer counsellors. Appointments were made through London Council on
Alcohol and counselling took place in the CHC’s meeting room in
Tottenham Town Hall.
The
GLC began funding the project, giving £4263 by 1984. This was enough
to employ part-time organiser Ian McGregor. The CHC moved to new
offices on Tottenham High Rd where HAGA had their own room and shared a
small meeting room for counselling. Further funding enabled Senior
Counsellor Angie Sparrowhawk to be employed. She stayed with HAGA for 6
years.
In 1983 Dr Alex Paton,
Regional Postgraduate Dean, was appointed as Consultant Physician in
Haringey. He was passionate about preventing liver cirrhosis caused by
alcohol consumption and believed early intervention was the only way.
He became a great supporter of HAGA’s development.
Detox
HAGA wanted to set up home detox to enable people to change their lives
in their own environment, and persuaded the Health Service that it
would be cheaper than putting people into hospital. Two community
nurses were employed in 1989. Alex Paton, Post-graduate Dean, gained GP
support and gave medical credibility. That year Community Health
Services provided offices at St Ann’s Hospital, allowing space for the
increased staff.
In 1986 HAGA became Haringey Advisory Group on Alcohol, fortunately able to keep the same acronym.
Because Haringey is so multi-cultural, HAGA felt counselling should be
available in different languages. City Parochial Foundation provided
funds and a training course was started to train foreign language
speakers as alcohol counsellors. Further funding was obtained to do
alcohol awareness work among the ethnic minority communities and this
was continued for four years, training 40 counsellors.
Community
In 1993 Haringey Borough
asked HAGA to take on community care assessments. People are assessed
and referred for the appropriate services, like residential
rehabilitation, the one service that HAGA doesn’t provide. Any
prescribing is done by the client’s GP.
A new home
In 1994 St Ann’s Hospital supplied a building for a day centre, but the
work was constrained by the limited accommodation and by 1994 the
London Borough of Haringey, always supportive of HAGA, found a building
on Seven Sister’s Road which allowed them to operate on a larger scale.
It was felt that GPs, Social Workers, Health Visitors and A&E
Nurses should be trained to recognise alcohol problems, and training
courses were started and have continued.
Children
HAGA had long acknowledged the difficulties faced by children when
parents misuse alcohol. In 1996 funding was obtained from the National
Lottery and a Children & Families worker was employed. Demands for
the service grew rapidly and in 2001, the Cosmic conference was held to
highlight the need for expansion. Building work was undertaken to
convert the garage behind the Day Centre into a purpose built facility
with its own separate entrance.
The
service, later renamed COSMIC, now has five staff. Referrals come from
HAGA, DASH and social services. COSMIC staff visit schools and youth
centres, and clients can refer themselves.
Safety
In 2001 HAGA was part of a Community Safety conference, which spawned
the ‘A Safer Pub’ assessment scheme. They visiting clubs and pubs with
the Police to make risk assessments and advise on staff training and
Health and Safety issues.
Day centre
The Day Centre is HAGA’s hub, where clients can socialise and get help
and advice for all kinds of issues. There’s individual counselling,
group therapy and workshop programmes, Yoga, acupuncture and
aromatherapy. The Centre is now open on Saturdays, as well as on
weekdays and clients have their own forum where they can air their own
comments and suggestions.
Back to work
The Day Centre’s IT training service outgrew its space and moved in
2004 to newly upgraded premises in Northumberland Park. Now called
Kinesis, the project, has expanded and made links with colleges and
local employers, enabling clients to further their education and do
work experience. Most referrals come from HAGA, DASH, the Drug
Intervention Programme and the Dual Diagnosis service at St Ann’s. The
training and support provided by Kinesis is seen as part of the
rehabilitation process after clients have overcome their alcohol
problem.
Homeless
Abuse of alcohol is often the reason people become homeless, so HAGA
and Haringey Council got together to set up a bed-sit scheme. The
Council provide the housing and HAGA handle the management and support.
There are now three houses, two for alcohol and one for drugs. The
project is closely linked to the Day Centre and each house has a
support worker. Residents have to take part in a rehab programme and
the houses are ‘dry’, so no drugs or alcohol are allowed on the
premises. The project has been named Newstart and the Council has
agreed to re-house clients in ordinary housing provided they have
overcome their alcohol/drug problem.
For people who are elderly or disabled,
or whose lives are too chaotic HAGA has set up the Home Support Team to
visit them in their own homes.
Street drinking
The Street Drinkers Project approaches people drinking on the streets
and offers help and information on various issues, like health, alcohol
and housing.
Street drinkers are a very difficult group to reach. Some abuse drugs
as well as alcohol, and some have mental health problems. Persuading
them to make life-style changes and accept help is a tough task.
A wet centre
For those who find it impossible to change HAGA has suggested that a
staffed Wet Centre where alcohol is allowed and a hot meal is provided
could be the answer to helping this group to move forward.
In 1985, Ian McGregor and Dr Alex Paton produced a paper entitled “A
District Alcohol Service” which provided an outline of how an
integrated service could work.
The paper emphasised the need for cooperation between statutory and
voluntary caring services. It also acknowledged that staff needed
further training to help them recognise people who have an alcohol
problem.
Each service development has been in response to need. The aim is
always to help people overcome their alcohol problem and in the process
build up their self esteem and confidence so they can take control of
their lives, and where possible move on to education, training and
independent living. All the while HAGA staff are there with help and
support, knowing that efforts to overcome alcohol abuse are not always
successful the first time round.
Funding
Fundraising is done through grant applications to various trusts and
the Statutory Authorities, which has brought in a large amount of money
over the years; however, HAGA relies on social services and local
health services for the major part of its funding.
By the diversity of the services and all the support and follow-up work
it has been recognised that HAGA provides good value for money. For
example, by introducing a community detox service, it has reduced the
need for expensive admissions to hospital or specialist units, helping
many people to overcome their alcohol problem and regain their lives.
HAGA’s aim is always to reduce the individual and social harm caused by abusing alcohol.
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