Addiction Report by Healthwatch Essex

Healthwatch Essex is an independent charity which gathers and represents views about health and social care services in Essex. Our aim is to influence decision makers so that services are fit for purpose, effective and accessible, ultimately improving service user experience. We also provide an information service to help people access, understand, and navigate the health and social care system.

The recent Covid-19 pandemic meant that some addiction support services were impacted causing them to temporarily shut down which heavily affected interaction with people in need of support. Subsequently, many people found their recovery journey more difficult with some relapsing during this period. This resulted in many falling into addiction which created a clear correlation with poor mental health either as a cause or effect of this. Healthwatch Essex captured the lived experience of those who are living with an addiction, who are in recovery and the ‘affected others’allowing them to share the support available and some of the barriers to seeking this support.

Please note that this report relates to findings and observations carried out on specific dates and times, representing the views of those who contributed anonymously during the engagement visits. This report summarises themes from the responses collected and puts forward recommendations based on the experiences shared with Healthwatch Essex during this time.