Westminster Council’s Rough Sleeping Team has launched a Blue Light Project to support staff working with vulnerable dependent drinkers.
This project will deliver Blue Light training for staff and disseminate best practice while working with this client group. The resources below can be downloaded to help your work with vulnerable dependent drinkers.
All Groundswell resources are produced with the guidance of health and social care specialists, and referencing information from NHS or specific charities. The information is correct at the time of publication. Please check with the NHS for the most up-to-date information.
Supporting accommodation planning to align with detox and rehab
This guide supports Westminster staff working across the rough sleeping pathway by outlining detox, rehab, and accommodation options for residents affected by substance use.
It helps staff plan personalised recovery pathways, with a focus on continuity of care and preventing repeat homelessness. It also explains key steps to ensure Housing Benefit is correctly managed when a client enters or leaves hospital.
Supporting accommodation planning to align with detox and rehab
Westminster Blue Light Project Achievements 2022 & 2023
Here are two reports detailing Westminster’s Blue Light project achievements over 2022 and 2023.
Each report details the:
- outcomes for the ‘test and learn’ cohort
- reductions in negative costs on the public purse
- training courses delivered and numbers attended
- workshops & themes
- achievements of the blue light project.
This video is of a touching story told by Jennie about her friend Ian who experienced homelessness and alcohol related illnesses.
Thiamine, alcohol and alcohol related brain damage factsheet
This factsheet by the Alcohol Related Brain Damage (ARBD) Network explains the impact of drinking on the nerve cells of the brain, recovery after abstinence and the importance of vitamins especially thiamine.
Mental capacity assessment screening tool for severe weather
Two documents have been created that can be used when there is a concern about capacity regarding the specific decision not to take up an offer of severe weather accommodation. The first document is for severe cold weather and the second is for hot weather. Best interest decisions are included as well as alternative options to be considered.
Easy read documents
We have created several Easy read documents which can be used to support dependent drinkers.
Help for Alcohol or other Drug Use Easy read leaflet
189 KB
We have permission from the Australian Alcohol and Drug Foundation to use their Easy read document on Getting help for your alcohol or drug use. This cover sheet directs you to the document and also includes the contact details for support services in Westminster that should replace the contacts in the document.
Medication record Easy read leaflet
77 KB
The client can tick when they have taken their medication
Alcohol diary Easy read leaflet
746 KB
The client can cross off the pictures to track what alcohol they have drank each day
Alcohol withdrawals Easy read leaflet
931 KB
This easy read leaflet can be used to help explain to dependent drinkers what they can do to keep safe with potential alcohol withdrawals.
Keep your money safe Easy read leaflet
232 KB
This easy read leaflet can be used to help explain how some people may try multiple ways to take money and explores ways to keep money safe.
Vitamin B (Pabrinex) Easy read Leaflet
1.2 MB
This easy read leaflet can be used to help explain how vitamin B via a pabrinex injection will impact the brain and help counteract the impact of drinking alcohol.
Managing Risk with Dependent Drinkers
Comprehensive guide and poster.
Managing Risk with Dependent Drinkers – a guide for frontline workers
356 KB
This comprehensive guide is designed to support frontline workers in managing risks associated with high alcohol consumption among vulnerable individuals. It covers practical strategies for addressing medical emergencies, improving communication, and creating safety plans to minimise harm. There is also an alcohol safety plan included as an appendix, which staff can use to plan for alcohol withdrawals (within the protocol of your organisation). For instance this plans who will buy the alcohol, what alcohol needs to be bought, how often the alcohol should be bought and how much alcohol to be given to the client and when.
Red Flags for Dependent Drinkers poster
139 KB
This is a visual poster highlighting key warning signs to watch for when working with dependent drinkers, such as increased self-neglect, medical emergencies, or financial exploitation. It serves as a quick reference tool to identify when further intervention or escalation is needed – print it out and make it available for staff to refer to easily.
Supporting care package engagement for adults experiencing multiple disadvantage
769 kb
This toolkit has been developed to help frontline workers understand why people with complex needs may find it difficult to engage with traditional care packages. It offers practical, trauma-informed strategies to build trust, reduce barriers and support flexible, person-led approaches. The toolkit emphasises relationship-based care, consistent staffing, and collaboration across agencies, encouraging shared notes, multidisciplinary working, and reflective practice. The appendix includes an Insight Sharing Form to help staff record and share key information about each person’s preferences, routines, and triggers.
Information sharing and confidentiality agreement
170 KB
This is a template information sharing and confidentiality agreement that can be used at case conference meetings. Individuals at high risk of vulnerability will need support of multiple services at the same time and the services involved in the care of these individuals will need share information and work together.
Mental capacity assessment screening tool
264 KB
This document has been created to help staff to complete mental capacity assessments. Following on from learnings surrounding clients being able to often talk the talk, but not walk the walk (potential executive dysfunction), importance has been placed on providing evidence for whether the individual can weigh up and use the information surrounding the specific decision.
Mental Capacity assessment checklist
1.4 Mb
This download provides a mental capacity assessment checklist which is relevant to ensure you have gone through a thorough assessment of capacity. An excellent PDF document to support staff in assessing executive functioning can also be downloaded from the lancashire Safeguarding website.
Recognising alcohol withdrawals
244 KB
Recognising alcohol withdrawals is important when supporting dependent drinkers so that you are aware of the risks. This information sheet is a grab sheet providing information on alcohol withdrawals and how staff can help to reduce risks.
‘Head injury & substance use?’ poster
184 KB
Natalie Miller from Great Chapel Street Medical Centre has created an important poster for staff to be aware of when supporting those that have suffered a head injury and are under the influence. This poster should be shared with staff teams so they are aware.
The Blue Light Approach: Identifying and addressing cognitive impairment in dependent drinkers.
3 Mb
This guidance has been developed as part of a national, multi-partner initiative. It involved both national experts like Prof. Ken Wilson and Dr Julia Lewis, as well as partners from 25 local authorities and treatment agencies around England and Wales.
Best practice example in health care for people using substances: hospital and rehabilitation
160 KB
This best practice example is about a client with Korsakoff’s who lacked capacity to consent for dialysis treatment. He believed he still needed alcohol and was distracted by drinking continuously so would leave the hospital several times a day making his treatment complicated. This best practice example explains what adaptions were made both at the hospital and rehabilitation.
BAME groups and substance use
406 KB
This document lists common issues for BAME groups using substances, highlighting the responsibility for us all to talk about this in supervision/ team meetings and provides a list of available reading around the topic and useful interventions.
The Safeguarding Adults Executive Boards’ 7 minute briefing – Andrew’s story
342 KB
Understanding complex needs through a new lens; an autism aware approach, the need for assertive, relational health approaches and importance of respectful professional challenge
Alcohol Related Brain Damage (ARBD) factsheet
4.8 Mb
This factsheet written by Dr Julia Lewis explains ARBD, what causes ARBD, what the damage is caused, and what can help treat ARBD.
Identifying and addressing cognitive impairment in dependent drinkers
499 KB
This is a guide for staff working in Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea which aims to raise awareness about cognitive impairment in drinkers, describing the effects of those impairments, guidance for screening/assessment, provide guidance on communication techniques and the impact of cognitive impairment on mental capacity and the use of legislative frameworks.
Supporting family members to respond to change resistant drinkers
14 MB
This toolkit has been produced by Alcohol Change and Adfam and is useful for staff members working in housing. It provides information on understanding and supporting someone through detoxification, understanding liver function tests, how we can reduce harm and motivating someone to change their drinking.
How to use legal powers to safeguard highly vulnerable dependent drinkers in England and Wales
279 KB
Alcohol change UK’s have produced this useful document How to use legal powers to safeguard highly vulnerable dependent drinkers in England and Wales
The Safeguarding Adults Executive Boards’ 7 minute briefing
271 KB
The Safeguarding Adults Executive Boards’ 7 minute briefing: Ian’s story and the 4 learning points to be taken from this case
The Blue Light Manual
585kb
The Blue Light Manual sets out the key principles and contains a range of advice and tools for working with clients who are not in contact with services. The Blue Light training supports professionals in applying these principles and tools, and helps local areas set up the multi-partner forums and protocols needed to embed the programme