# Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in London: Coordinating Ongoing Care

Canonical: https://rehablondon.uk/opioid-use-disorder-treatment-london/

Publication: Rehab London

Updated: 2026-10-17

Opioid use disorder treatment in London should connect assessment, ongoing clinical care, prescribing where appropriate, and practical support. A GP or local drug treatment service can be the starting point. The first question is not simply where to detox, but how to establish a coordinated plan that continues across appointments, pharmacies, admissions, and changes in living arrangements.

The [NHS guide to heroin and opioid treatment](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addiction-support/heroin-get-help/) describes maintenance treatment and supervised withdrawal as different approaches that a patient can discuss with their care team. It also explains that help is available even when someone is not ready to stop. Decisions about medicines or withdrawal require an individual clinical assessment.

## Clarify what is being assessed

The term opioid can cover different medicines and substances. Explain which products you use, whether they were prescribed, how you obtain them, and whether the pattern has changed. If the name or contents are uncertain, tell the assessor. Do not guess a strength or assume that a product obtained from an informal source is identical to a pharmacy medicine.

Also explain why you are seeking help now. You may be worried about control, cost, withdrawal, a recent medical event, family concerns, or the demands of obtaining a supply. Someone taking a prescribed opioid for pain may be asking a different question from someone using heroin. The appointment should make room for those differences and clarify which clinicians need to contribute.

Bring a medication list and details of any pain service, psychiatrist, GP, or other prescriber already involved. If you have records from earlier treatment, note what was useful and what was difficult. The purpose is to avoid starting a new arrangement without understanding the care that is already in place. Our [prescription-medication guide](https://rehablondon.uk/prescription-medication-misuse-treatment-london/) discusses the specific coordination questions around prescribed medicines.

## Identify a London service and confirm its remit

Use your current address and GP details when asking about local eligibility. Be explicit if you are moving, staying temporarily with someone, or do not have a stable address. Ask the service how it handles those circumstances and which information is needed to identify the appropriate pathway. Do not wait until a planned move is imminent to raise a potential transfer.

As a local example, the official [Lambeth Drug and Alcohol Service listing](https://www.nhs.uk/services/service-directory/lambeth-drug-and-alcohol-service/N10870951) describes support for adults living in Lambeth, including assessment and prescribing-related services, with a self-referral route. That is a borough-specific example, not a London-wide eligibility statement. Check current contact and appointment arrangements directly before traveling.

If you contact a private provider, ask whether it offers ongoing opioid treatment, a time-limited admission, assessment only, or referral to another service. “Drug treatment” does not tell you which of these functions it performs. Confirm the treatment address and the clinician responsible for explaining whether its service is appropriate for you.

## Understand the proposed approach before agreeing

The NHS describes maintenance treatment using an opioid substitute and a separate pathway involving withdrawal. Ask the clinician to explain the purpose of the approach being discussed, the alternatives, and how your preferences and circumstances are being considered. A clear explanation should cover ongoing review rather than rely on a one-time choice between labels.

You can ask: What are we trying to achieve first? What needs to be monitored? How will we know whether this approach is working? What would cause us to reconsider it? These questions are particularly useful if past care ended unexpectedly or if you received conflicting explanations from different services.

Do not change prescribed medication because a new clinic’s website describes a different approach. Request direct clinical coordination before making changes. For a more focused discussion of ongoing prescribing arrangements, see our guide to [opioid agonist treatment in London](https://rehablondon.uk/opioid-agonist-treatment-london/).

## Make pharmacy and appointment logistics part of the care plan

If the plan involves a pharmacy, confirm which pharmacy is participating and what has actually been agreed. Do not assume that a prescription automatically means collection is arranged at the branch most convenient to you. Ask your care team to explain the collection process, required identification, opening hours, and who to contact if an administrative problem occurs.

Discuss work shifts, caring commitments, mobility limitations, and transport before the arrangement is finalized. Bring a real weekly timetable. A plan that looks straightforward in a clinic can become difficult when a shift ends after a pharmacy closes or a journey requires several changes. The question is how the service can assess and address the obstacle, not how you can improvise medication instructions.

Clarify what to do after a missed appointment or collection. The response should come from the treating service or pharmacist under the agreed clinical process. Avoid borrowing medication, doubling a later dose, or following another person’s instructions. Record the relevant contact route so that an unexpected delay does not become a guessing exercise.

## Keep other substances and health needs in view

Tell the assessor about alcohol, benzodiazepines, sleeping medicines, stimulants, and other substances, including occasional use. Explain whether another clinician has prescribed any of them. The NHS opioid treatment guide specifically includes questions about other substances and physical and mental health as part of assessment.

You may have concerns that do not feel directly related to opioids: an untreated health problem, low mood, disrupted sleep, an injury, or uncertainty about a diagnosis. Ask which concerns the service can assess itself and which need another professional. Identify who will follow through on any referral, including how results will get back to the person coordinating care.

When pain treatment is involved, ask how the relevant clinicians will communicate about goals and responsibilities. Being referred to an addiction service should not leave you unsure who is addressing pain. Our guide to [chronic pain and substance use in London](https://rehablondon.uk/chronic-pain-substance-use-treatment-london/) provides questions for that joint conversation.

## Ask about overdose prevention as part of ordinary care

The NHS warns that tolerance falls after detoxification and that returning to heroin afterward increases overdose risk. Ask your service to explain the implications for your situation, including what you and someone close to you should know about recognizing an emergency and accessing overdose-prevention support.

Ask directly about naloxone availability and training through your treating service or local pathway. Confirm what the service can supply and teach rather than assuming that a product mentioned online is already part of your plan. If someone has taken an overdose or their life is at risk, call 999; do not wait for a routine treatment appointment.

Write emergency information separately from routine administrative contacts. A keyworker’s voicemail, a private admissions line, and an emergency response are different services. Everyone helping you should understand that difference. Keep the information accessible in the format you are most likely to use.

## Plan transfers before leaving a service or changing address

A move within London can involve a different local service, pharmacy, or GP. Before a planned move, ask the current team to identify the receiving service and explain the transfer process. A referral being sent is not the same as the next team confirming that it has accepted responsibility.

Handover item | What to establish | 

Receiving team | The named service and whether it has accepted the referral. | 

Clinical summary | What records are being shared, with consent, and who receives them. | 

Prescribing responsibility | Which clinician remains responsible during the transition. | 

Next appointment | A confirmed date and contact route if circumstances change. | 

Pharmacy arrangements | What has been agreed and when any change takes effect. | 

The same questions apply when entering or leaving residential treatment. Ask for a coordinated discharge plan early in the stay. Our [London aftercare guide](https://rehablondon.uk/rehab-aftercare-london/) covers the practical work of linking residential treatment back to local support.

## Evaluate progress beyond whether an appointment happened

A review is an opportunity to discuss whether care is becoming more workable. You might want fewer disruptions, more reliable attendance, better communication between clinicians, improved daily functioning, or progress toward a personally important goal. Agree which changes you will discuss rather than leaving success undefined.

If part of the plan is difficult, explain the specific obstacle. “I cannot manage this” becomes easier to act on when you can add that a particular collection time conflicts with childcare, you did not understand a referral, or a change in housing has disrupted contact. Ask the team what can be reviewed and which decisions need clinical input.

Do not treat a setback as proof that further discussion is pointless. Contact the service and ask how it wants you to return to care or review the plan. If you are unsure who is responsible after several handovers, make that the first question. Coordination itself is a legitimate care need.

## Leave with a clear next contact

At the end of assessment, you should know who coordinates the plan, which professional is responsible for medication decisions, and what happens next. Request clarification in writing when several organizations are involved. If a relative or trusted person is helping, agree what can be shared and what practical role they will take.

A useful opioid treatment plan connects the clinical approach with the realities of London life: travel, work, housing, pharmacy access, and ongoing health care. You do not need to manage those connections alone. Start by asking the team to make responsibilities explicit and review the arrangement with you as your circumstances change.