UK people advice and help please...
 

Hi, I have a frI end who was admitted unconscious to hospital before Xmas, alcoholic chirrosis. .. after a week in a coma he pulled through, and is now recovering... he can NEVER drink again. He was a free spirited musician who drank a lot all the time....
My question is this... how does he get help after he is discharged? He hospital has done the medical bit, but they are going to discharge him, homeless and alone.

Is there such thing as free rehab in the UK???

He will surely die soon if there is no follow up, no help..... nothing...

Any advice please so I can pass it on!

Cheers guys. ..

Here in the States, we have social workers at hospitals who put at least minimal effort into followup care. Do you think there might be something like that in the UK?

Hi - I'm pretty sure that there must be some that can be doctor referred and funded on the NHS, although I'd have thought they're going to be much in demand. Some of the people who I've met who say they went to rehab wouldn't have had money to pay for it, I'm fairly certain.

I suppose that AA / SMART are the obvious initial free services that are everywhere (and are free) - then he'll need to see what his GP says might be available to him and start pushing for it. I suspect it will very much depend on where he's based as to how much free help is available.

Contact Samaritans. They are available 24 hours a day and will be a good place to find information.

http://www.samaritans.org/

Plus, the Salvation Army offers free rehab:

http://satruck.org/national-rehabilitation

I have e.emailed the local Salvation army for advice. .. thanks guys x

If its a NHS hospital they will have a local drug & alcohol team & from there you can get help ask the hospital

if you pm the area I can find it for you ?

Samaritans and AA are great suggestions . . . the main thing is having some support.

Your friend could also sign up to SR, 24/7 support right here!! :)

I told him that... this is the best resource!