Alcohol, drugs and substance misuse

Substance abuse can have a devastating effect on users and those people that have contact with them, whether family, friends or work colleaguesThe alcohol, drugs and substance misuse page contains details of local sources of advice. These centres specialise in helping people with substance misuse problems, giving confidential advice, information and treatments.

Sandwell Drug and Alcohol Action Team

The Government's 10-year strategy for tackling drug misuse seeks to shift the emphasis away from reactive drug treatment to proactive drug misuse prevention measures. All local public agencies are required to work together in planning drug misuse services. 

Healthy Lifestyles

Sandwell Council and Sandwell Primary Care Trust are working together to provide services that will imrpove the health of people in Sandwell. Ring Healthy Lifestyles Services on 0800 011 4656 for information about, and referral into, services such as:

• cycling and walking programmes
• healthy eating and weight management

The service also provides information and signposts to other services such as Sandwell Stop Smoking Service and Welfare Rights.

Mental Health

Mental ill health is so common that at any one time around one in six people of working age have a mental health problem, most often anxiety or depression. One person in 250 will have a psychotic illness such as schizophrenia or manic depression.

Most people with mental health problems are cared for by their GP and the primary care team.

Sandwell Mental Health NHS and Social Care Trust provides a single point of access to all mental health services in the borough.

Community Mental Health Teams give advice on other professional’s management of mental health problems to enable appropriate referrals, provide treatment and care for those with time-limited disorders who can benefit from specialist interventions, and provide treatment and care for those with more complex and enduring needs. Find out more about mental health provision in Sandwell.

Primary Health Care

Primary Health Care is the care provided by people you normally see when you first have a health problem. It might be a visit to a doctor or dentist, an optician for an eye test, or just a trip to a pharmacist to buy cough mixture. NHS Walk-in Centres, and the phone line service NHS Direct, are also part of primary care. All of these services are managed for you by your local Primary Care Trust (PCT). You can contact Sandwell PCT on 0845 155 0500.

NHS organisations like Strategic Health Authorities, Primary Care Trusts, Care Trusts, Mental Health Trusts and Hospital Trusts help deliver local health care services in your area.

For information on these organisations and local services such as doctors, dentists, pharmacies and opticians, please visit the NHS website.

Sexual health support including HIV and AIDS

If you think you might be at risk of HIV or any other sexually transmitted diseases, you can contact the local Genito-Urinary Medicine (GUM) clinic for information and testing.
Sandwell General Hospital Dartmouth Clinic GUM Department
Hallam Street,
West Bromwich,
B71 4HJ

Tel: 0121 580 0929
Tel: 0121 553 1831 Ext. 3094
Opening times: Monday 1.30pm to 7.30pm, Tuesday 9.00am to 12.30pm, Wednesday 1.30pm to 5pm, Thursday 9.00am to 12.30pm, 1.30pm to 5pm, Friday 8.30 to 2.00pm.

The Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) is the leading human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune
deficiency syndrome (AIDS) charity in the UK. THT Midlands (direct helpline 0845 1221 200) can help if you are living with HIV, know someone who is, or think you might be at risk of HIV. They aim to help you get on with your life by providing direct services, face to face support and information based on your needs.

Children With AIDS Charity was set up to help the youngest of those affected or infected by HIV and AIDS. It is a national UK charity with the simple aim of working towards a future without prejudice for these children and their families.