1. Service User Discussion
Recovery Practice Development Tool (RPDT)
Service User Discussion

2. Principles of Recovery
Hope and aspiration
A ‘journey’ where different people take different roads
Values drug-free outcomes, but does not just mean abstinence
Engaging with the range of an individual’s needs
Social inclusion
Service user networks and mutual support
All about families
All about communities
All about taking responsibility
Includes health and public health interventions
(Building for Recovery, DrugScope, 2012)

3. Recovery Practice Development Tool (RPDT)
A method of assessing the extent to which activities in your service are focused around factors which are known to promote recovery i.e. to measure recovery-oriented practice.
To produce a development plan for improving recovery-oriented practice or developing new activities or services.

4. 8 Key Elements of Recovery-Oriented Practice
Shows a belief in and commitment to recovery
Supports achievement of self-defined goals
Is strengths-based
Acknowledges and involves significant others
Delivers recovery-oriented treatment interventions
Encourages and supports meaningful service user involvement
Promotes social inclusion/community integration
Is managed and supported

5. A Discussion on the 8 Key Elements
The following slides provide some questions or considerations to aid or prompt discussion. Evidence to support participants’ statements would help in assessing how recovery focused the service is from a client’s perspective.

6. Principle 1 – Belief in Recovery
Do you have a clear definition of what is meant by recovery and understand the values and principles of recovery? Do workers talk to you about recovery?
Do you have discussions about recovery with other service users or have you met anyone else in recovery?
Do you actively seek, celebrate and share (with permission) people’s stories of recovery? Do you understand what is meant by recovery?
Do workers have faith in you and that you can have a better life?
Principle 2 – Achieve Self Defined Goals
Are you asked about what you want to happen in your treatment/care?
Do you feel that you are in control of the decisions made?
Are the decisions you make respected? even if your worker disagrees with you?
How are you helped to choose your treatment options? and to set and achieve your goals?
Have you used any other tools / techniques with your key worker such as ITEP / BTEI, other mapping tools, motivational interviewing, person centred questions?

7. Principle 3 – Asset or Strength Based Approach
Do workers at this service talk to you about things other than your drug/alcohol use?
Do you have an opportunity to celebrate yours and others success?
Are you asked about the things that are important to you in your life?
Are you encouraged to feel hopeful again when you ‘have a setback?
Are you asked about what you enjoy to do, things you have done before or what you think you are good at?
Principle 4 - Acknowledges and involves significant others
Do workers talk to you about those in your life who are supportive and help you?
Are you supported in building or rebuilding relationships with your family members and friends ?
Do your family or friends feel supported and valued by this service? If so, can you give examples of what benefits it had for your recovery journey?
Has there been an assessment of the needs of families and significant others?
Is family therapy or behavioural couples therapy (BCT) offered?
Are there support groups available?

8. Principle 5 - Delivers recovery-oriented treatment interventions
Is your treatment working well for you? Do you have any suggestions to improve your treatment? Have you been offered other options?
Do you receive any treatment or support that is not prescribed medication?
Have you been encouraged to consider other options instead of substitute medication? What was your decision and why?
Have you ever seen people who exit from treatment?
Principle 6 - Meaningful service user involvement
Are you encouraged and supported to get involved with other people who use this service? If yes what kind of things have you been involved in?
Are you asked about what you think about the service?
If you had a problem with, or a complaint about, your treatment or the service - what would you do or who would you tell?
Do you feel that you ‘own’ your treatment/recovery plans? Do you contribute? Is it written in accessible and clear language and lay out?
Have you been involved with staff recruitment / training?
Have you ever gone to meetings or been a part of discussions about the running of the service?

9. I am encouraged and supported to be part of my community and to meet other people in recovery
Are you encouraged to explore and act on how you can make meaningful contributions to your community - through getting work, or volunteering or other activities?
Are you encouraged and supported to get involved in activities, away from this service – like education or training, sports and hobbies?
Does your key-worker talk to you about and support you to go to mutual aid groups, or other recovery groups?
NA, AA, SMART, Recovery groups, Recovery cafes Internet recovery groups etc.

10. Principle 7 - Social inclusion / community integration
Are you encouraged to explore and act on how you can make meaningful contributions to your community - through work or volunteering?
Are you encouraged and supported to get involved in activities, away from this service – like education or training, sports and hobbies?
Does your key-worker talk to you about and support you to go to mutual aid groups, or other recovery groups? E.g. NA, AA, SMART, Recovery Groups, Recovery Cafes, Internet Recovery Forums, etc.
Is it easy to access resources and opportunities such as – housing advice, education/training, benefits advice?
Are staff sufficiently trained, competent and supervised to deliver a range of low intensity psychosocial interventions in an individual or group setting?
Could there be improvements in the organisation to make it more recovery focused and able to meet your needs and those of others better?
Do you have an opportunity to make suggestions and are they listened to and acted on? Do you ever receive feedback on your suggestions?
Principle 8 – Governance & Clinical Standards