Substance to Solution - Northampton - Northampton

Lavern H.

I have been a client at s2s for many years, even when it was called Spring House. The councillors there have always been pleasant, & willing to help you in any way they can.
With the help of a methadone maintenance script, I have been clean from heroin for 6yrs now. And Feb this year 2024 I had my head in the right place & detoxed myself of methadone. I have come a long way fighting this addiction & finally with s2s's help I've done it.

Jacqueline V.

My friend needed some advice and help. This was given quicker than a GP visit and a one2one within 10 minutes of a walk in no appointment! Not necessarily the right way, however the staff we kind, welcoming and defiantly non judgemental.

The staff were kind, welcoming and knowledgeable (again better than my local GP who won't have face 2 face unless your dying and then won't, but will send you to A&E with the words if you don't you could be dead in a few days).

My friend was helped to understand how things work and how to build confidence and how to join in to get the help he so desperately needed.

To the lady that helped my friend, thank you. You made a huge impact on him and will forever be grateful for your kind words, help and expert advice

AJ A.

My mrs had an appointment this morning at 9.30. She was there at 9.25. After phoning to say she was outside she was then left to wait half an hour, still outside until she finally got hold of someone on front desk. When the woman did appear she stated she didn't know my mrs was outside, despite the front desk calling her four times to tell her such!?
Finally had her 8minute appointment and asked to wait 5 minutes for a prescription. Another half an hour passed and the woman appeared back outside three times, not to give her the prescription but to talk to other people now queuing outside too. Meanwhile the babysitter ( neighbour) who had volunteered to watch our youngest child for the duration of the appointment is now running late for work because an 8 minute appointment has taken the best part of an hour and a half. Its now raining heavily and my mrs has JUST been dealt with and on her way home. She will now have to apologise to our neighbour for making her late for work! Although had S2S kept to thier own appointment time it wouldn't be an issue. I'm only making this review after all this because when my mrs tried to explain S2S were not in the slightest bit understanding, apologetic or even helpful, in fact they were rude about it.
Finally ive just tried calling the front desk three times, once it rang 42 times!!! No answer to any call.
Actually its laughable really. Unfit for purpose.

S W.

Considering this service is intended for those at at an extremely low point of their life, owing to bureaucracy, processes and procedures, assistance is not forthcoming and to actually get any help is an arduous process.

As with other feedback on here, you are immediately made to feel like a malefactor as you are made to stand and wait outside until your appointment (I considered this may be a COVID ‘era’ decision but the feedback from other users of this service indicates this was occurring a long time before this). Whilst I understand everyone has their own personal reasons for having to attend this service, attending your initial meeting here and being met with other service users who are evidently high on drugs, was exceptionally daunting.

My initial meeting seemed promising. I was given a case worker who advised me that I could could contact them at any time, either via email or a dedicated mobile phone number and ‘check in’ telephone calls were scheduled. However, not only were the check in calls missed entirely with no explanation or apology (and me having to contact the main desk to enquire as to why), emails I sent went unanswered. During my initial meeting I had to undertake medical test which I was told would have to be sent off for testing and the results returned in around a weeks time, which would be given to me via telephone call. Again, the call didn’t come and two weeks after the tests (and a number of emails enquiring if they had returned) I had to call S2S to find them out myself. The main reception located my results but I was told my case worker would have to give me them. The case worker called me around an hour later advising that the results were still outstanding (even though the reception had located them). On finally finding them I was told my results would be discussed with a Doctor and a care plan set up. As this had already been around 6 weeks since my initial contact and no offer of assistance forthcoming, I contacted the service’s manager. This made the whole matter even more convoluted and tortuous with many emails to and from, them disputing much of what their caseworker had advised (and a lot of backtracking/denials) and yet I am still no closer to receiving any assistance/treatment.

It is also prevalent that the service is very much standardised with a ‘one size fits all’ mentality. Whilst I understand there are processes and such the service has to adhere to, each person has their own reason for having to use this service such as mental health issues, personal circumstance, having just left prison etc and yet these are not taken into account. From the feedback I have seen online the services inflexibility and rigidity mean that the service is inaccessible to those with issues that require flexibility.

I could speak of many other issues/occurrences that I have encountered since trying to access services from Substance To Solution however as this includes personal details/identifying information, I do not feel able to divulge them here, however many of which are more questionable and concerning than much I have spoken of in this review.

In summary if you find yourself in a position where you require these services, expect a long and onerous process with very little help from those who are supposed to be there to help. If your circumstance or situation deviates even slightly from the ‘norm’ do not any expect any leeway or the help to be forthcoming. I would also suggest if you require more urgent help, to seek it elsewhere as you will not find it here.

JesseB

If you are 100% committed then there’s a good chance of succeeding BUT the system is very different now. No real 1 to 1 talking, groups only(so if you don’t like speaking in groups, not good) and it seems quite a few of the staff have limited personal experience in addiction which is huge if you are expected to open up to someone who hasn’t been there and someone who has. The staff do there best but as most drug treatment facilities, they are well behind in what works in successful treatment clinics around the world.

Angela C.

Brilliant staff and helpful towards us. Without you guys we wont know where to turn!!

Staff here are friendly, understanding and supportive you are in the right place if you want help to leave your addictions.
Definitely will recommend. 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

Ben H.

Hi. I have been using STS for over 2 years now and they do outstanding work. They are severely overstretched and in my opinion do their very best. Keep it up boys and girls!
Benny.

Matt S.

Today I really have no way to express my anger towards this organisation than here so sorry if it’s the wrong place but it’s all I can find. I have never taken drugs or been treated for it obviously but my wife of 13 years has sort help for many years from s2s. I knew it was never going to be easy but never realised that this sort of help would take over my life so much. This treatment will take away all your freedom. You will be so tied to this place that not only the addict but all her family who try to support her will have to pivot around their rules. I get they need rules but sometimes I feel they would go more out of their way to make things hard for you than try to treat you. For example tonight my wife is ill from another unrelated illness type 1 diabetes. She is to week to get to the pharmacist to get her daily medication. After trying to organise for me to collect it (the pharmacist was very sympathetic to my situation) S2S purposely rang them to make sure they would not help me. It’s hard looking out for an addict and family and work full time. But I’ve come to the conclusion that this cure is worse than the disease. And have contemplated if I can afford to buy an illegal drug so I can administer it to her my self medicinally. There is nowhere in this county I can get help elsewhere. I don’t know where to turn. They provide a service but they do not care. It’s a machine to make money nothing else.