50% of addiction-service staff think about leaving

Half of all people working in addiction services said that they had considered leaving their job in the last three months, according to a survey undertaken by Sinn Féin.

Deputy Thomas Gould, Cork TD and the party’s spokesperson on addiction, recovery and wellbeing, launched the results of the survey on the community addiction sector.

The survey was answered by 91 people across Ireland who work in services that include harm reduction, recovery support, detoxification, outreach, and also counselling.

Two in three respondents said that they had received no funding increase in the last decade, while the same percentage said that they did not receive enough funding to run their service.

“At present, we do our best to respond to emerging needs for our clients and their families. However with our current, minimal funding streams, we are restricted in what we can achieve or do,” one survey respondent said.

Another explained: “Whilst we have been able to support emerging needs and our suite of services have increased, our staffing numbers have remained the same, so we are well stretched.”

A third person added: “The HSE are too focused on numbers rather than outcomes.”

Almost 90% of respondents identified the housing crisis as having an impact on their services, with one saying: “The lack of suitable accommodation is impacting service users in all parts of the service,” and another said this was “a huge barrier to wellbeing”.

Mr Gould said: “What we can see clearly, from these results, is that the failure to resource the community addiction sector is having profound impacts on staff.

“One in every two respondents had considered leaving their job in the last three months.

“Not one person said this was because they didn’t enjoy their role: It was because of job security, wages, and burnout.”

That is the reality faced by those working in the sector.

“At the same time, 66% indicated that their service does not receive sufficient funding, with many wishing they could expand. The need is there in our communities, but without funding, addiction services are at capacity and working miracles on shoe-string budgets.”

Mr Gould said it was clear that those working on the ground in the addiction sector are knowledgeable and engaged with the issues facing the sector.

“It is long past time that this government stopped burying their head in the sand on addiction.

“Ordinary communities and families are suffering because of inaction.

“Sinn Féin have a plan: A plan that has only come from listening to those on the ground,” he said, adding that this would include restoring taskforce funding and additional staffing.

“We would support staff and reduce burnout.

“We would listen to those who understand these issues and we would invest in our communities,” Mr Gould said.