Jun 11 - Sacramento Visits UK Rehabilitation Centre
As part of the ongoing review of Bruce’s Farm, the Minister for Social Services, the Hon Samantha Sacramento, has recently visited Broadway Lodge in UK, accompanied by John Montegriffo, Team Leader for Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Services, and by Jennie Allison, Clinical Standards Compliance Director at the Care Agency.
When Bruce's Farm was set up in 1999 it was modelled on the rehabilitation programme delivered at Broadway Lodge, one of the oldest and most successful rehabilitation centres in the UK and one that has been in operation for 40 years. In 2012 it was awarded the Independent Specialist Care Provider of the year. Bruce's Farm and Broadway Lodge initially had very close links but this relationship has diminished not long after.
The Care Agency has been reviewing the operation and services at Bruce’s Farm in the light of its low levels of uptake and its failure to reach out to addicts in our community. The recent review has had positive results in that the number of admissions is continuously increasing and the Care Agency has had encouraging feedback from staff, service users and their families.
Minister Sacramento and her team met with the Chief Executive of Broadway Lodge and its Development Director and with the staff from every division of the organisation to gain insight into the service. As a result of the visit, the Care Agency has established a working partnership with Broadway Lodge going forward, with a view to sharing working practices and enhancing and improving the services that are offered in Gibraltar.
‘Bruce's Farm is the only rehabilitation centre that we have locally and it is therefore an essential component of the drugs and alcohol awareness and rehabilitation matrix. The success of the service is vital and paramount,’ said Samantha Sacramento, Minister for Social Services with responsibility for substance rehabilitation.
‘There have been many positive changes at Bruce’s Farm since we came into office. The occupancy levels at Bruce’s farm have increased in the past 2 years by making it more responsive to the needs of the community but there is still work to be done to ensure that we optimise this valuable resource. The visit to the UK has been extremely productive and I am very excited about the new working relationship that we have established with Broadway Lodge and this will undoubtedly assist us greatly in further improving the service,’ added the Minister.
