RIVER – Medway Treatment and Recovery Service

Service delivered in the community

RIVER (Responsive, Inspirational, Visible, Empowering, Recovery-orientated) is a community substance misuse service for the people of Medway. It is delivered from a range of community bases in Medway, including our new location Kinglsey House, located 37-39 Balmoral Road, Gillingham, ME7 4PF. We also operate a daily provision from AMAT at 411 High Street, Chatham and from out satellite service in Rochester.

The service helps people who have issues with drugs and/or alcohol use and who want to make a positive change. We also support family and friends of those who are worried about their loved ones’ substance use.

Located in the heart of the Medway directly opposite Gillingham train station, we’re ideally located to be within reach of as many people as possible and have plenty of space to grow and add to the service we offer.

Who we help:

Our service is for people who:

• Are aged 18+; and
• Live in Medway area; and
• Have issues with drugs and/or alcohol or are impacted by the drug/alcohol use of a loved one (even if that loved one is not ready to get support themselves

Our partner organisation, Open Road provides services to children and young people aged up to 18 years.

How we help:

The support we offer is tailored to each person’s needs, so will look slightly different for everyone. When you first get in touch, we’ll do an assessment with you to understand what your needs are so we can offer you the most appropriate support.

Services we offer include:

• One-to-one support
• Group programmes
• Harm minimisation, including health checks, testing for blood-borne viruses, and provision of naloxone
• Needle exchange service
• Prescribing services
• Referrals to rehab and detox provision
• A recovery service, provided by our partners Open Road
• Peer support
• Family support
• Outreach
• Referrals to other services

M-PACT – Moving People and Children Together

M-PACT provides a safe space for children to talk about their parents’ or family member’s addiction. It is a whole family, structured support programme which aims to improve the well-being of children and families affected by substance misuse.

Our services don’t stop there. We’re here with ongoing support. We can help you, whatever your drug or alcohol issues, or those of a loved one, are.

Opening times

Opening times for the main hub are as follows:

• Mondays: 9am – 12.30pm and 5pm – 8pm
• Tuesdays: 9am – 5pm
• Wednesdays: 9am – 5pm
• Thursdays: 9am – 8pm
• Fridays: 9am – 5pm

Get in touch

If you are worried about your own or someone else’s drug and/or alcohol use and want to get help, we’re here. Please use whatever option you feel most comfortable with.

• Email: Medway@forwardtrust.org.uk or theforwardtrust.medway@nhs.net
• Telephone:0300 123 1560 (Monday 9:30am – 8pm, Tuesday and Wednesday 9:30am – 5pm, Thursday 9:30am – 8pm, Friday 9:30am – 5pm)
• In person: drop by the main Hub and have a chat: Kingsley House, 37-39 Balmoral Road, Gillingham, ME7 4PF