In delivering a combined alcohol and drug service there is a huge range of management issues. However clinical issues are often looked at differently by people from different professional backgrounds. Professional rivalries and tensions can thus get in the way of effective work with clients. There therefore needs to be clear internal working protocols as well as clear external relationships. Training for staff is important especially to ensure that clients are referred within the team when appropriate.
Staff can have different perceptions of what they are doing with clients.
It is important for any organisation to keep an eye on the balance between these and ensure they are offering a wide range of services and activities. It was felt that there can sometimes be a problem, for example with alcohol clients being belittled , or feeling they are tarred with the same brush as crack users . However the main conflicts do seem to be in the minds of everyone but the client. The actual difference may be in the nature of the relationship with the substance rather than the substance itself. Any conflict there might be can be overcome with measures such as user-friendly waiting areas proactive user satisfaction surveys ensure staff have mixed caseloads and are not able to treat drug and alcohol clients differently.