Thirty mile trip for specialist addiction treatment

Alcoholics and drug addicts requiring specialist treatment may face a 30 mile trip to get help after the Christmas period.

Five south-west London boroughs' inpatient detox services have been retendered and are now under the operation of Sussex Partnership NHS Mental Health Trust, which is based in Crawley, 30 miles away from Kingston.

The new service will begin in early 2012, with a dedicated inpatient unit at Crawley Hospital which will offer 24-hour medical cover (not currently available), ensuite bathrooms and total disabled access.

NHS Kingston says that addicts in Kingston are predominantly treated at the Thames Clinic in Kingston town centre, and only a handful of cases would be required to go to Crawley.