FESAT Best Practice Exchange Partnership,
Utrecht, Sept 2010
“The HSE Drugs/HIV Helpline is a
confidential, freephone, active
listening service offering non-directive
support, information, guidance and
referral to anyone with a question or
concern related to substance use
and/or HIV and sexual health”
Background
Established in 1997 (In 1996, a prominent crime
journalist called Veronica Guerin was murdered due to
her reporting of the criminal drug world in Ireland. Her
death led to radical changes in drug treatment and
funding of services)
The Helpline is Funded by the HSE (Health Service
Executive) and is accessible throughout Ireland (pop.4
million approx)
Staffing
• Helpline Manager, Aileen Dooley,
(currently on maternity leave)
• 4 Helpline Staff Members (All Female)
2 full time & 2 part time
• Helpline open Monday to Friday 10am –
5pm
Calls to Helpline
• Our Helpline offers 2 Services:
• A Drug Helpline
• A Sexual Health / HIV Helpline
Advertisement/Publicity
• Our number is in the phonebook under
‘Emergency Numbers’
• Our number is on various websites, people
search google using Drug helpline or HIV
Helpline
• We do ‘post out’ campaigns annually to: all
police stations nationwide, Credit Unions, Health
Centres, GP’S, Social Workers, Citizens
Information Centres, Counselling &
Psychotherapy Services
Campaigns
• Our Number is used for Nationwide
campaigns
• Most recently – ‘Legal highs/Head Shop
Products’ – June 2010
• Codeine – August 2010
Trends in calls
• Drug most referred to is Cannabis
• 62% of calls in 2009, were from a 3rd party
• 34% 3rd party calls were from mothers
• 18% of calls are about HIV/ Sexual health
• In 2009 Cannabis was referred to in 25% of calls
Heroin was referred to in 24% of calls & alcohol
in 14% of calls
Referrals Provided To Callers
We refer a caller on in 86% of our calls
Referral Breakdown For 2009
Counsellor
Support Group
GP
Treatment Centre
HIV/STI Clinic
Callback
Other
Community Project
Outreach Worker
Rehab
Post Out Info
19%
17%
10%
10%
9%
8%
8%
6%
5%
4%
4%
Helpline Statistics for 2009
2009
Jan
2009
Feb
2009
Mar
2009
Apr
2009
May
2009
Jun
2009
July
2009
Aug
2009
Sept
2009
Oct
2009
Nov
2009
Dec
2009
Total
All Calls
317
303
309
300
260
262
323
339
302
248
229
193
3385
STI
1
5
3
5
8
3
1
6
10
5
9
6
62
HIV
30
32
46
34
29
36
47
34
33
47
29
35
432
Hep
2
3
2
1
1
3
1
1
2
1
4
0
21
HIV/HEP/
Sexual
8
6
7
3
11
6
10
8
4
4
4
8
79
Drug
152
135
148
140
111
124
140
155
156
135
120
89
1605
Drug &
Mental
Health
4
3
4
3
3
3
2
3
1
3
0
3
32
None of
Above
120
119
99
114
97
87
122
132
96
52
63
52
1153
Call Statistics continued…
2009
Jan
200
9
Feb
2009
Mar
2009
Apr
2009
May
2009
Jun
2009
July
2009
Aug
2009
Sept
2009
Oct
2009
Nov
2009
Dec
2009
Total
Info
24
28
22
17
19
19
26
54
47
17
18
16
307
Test
24
33
26
26
24
11
26
19
13
18
14
15
249
Wrong
No
10
13
15
4
14
22
13
15
17
10
15
19
157
Hang
Up
63
50
45
59
42
46
59
26
36
22
17
15
480
Admin
19
13
17
10
10
7
15
11
7
3
6
5
123
Silent
3
4
0
10
0
0
9
5
0
1
6
4
42
Support
174
162
184
174
151
157
175
209
182
177
153
119
2017
Any Questions??