Better Lives - Islington's Drug and Alcohol Service

Better Lives is an integrated drug and alcohol service delivered by Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with Humankind.

We offer a free and confidential support service for individuals and their families affected by drug and alcohol problems.

Our specialist team include substance misuse practitioners, doctors, nurses, social workers, psychologists and pharmacists, as well as complementary therapists, volunteers and peer mentors. Together we offer a high quality and professional service that supports individuals and their families who wish to receive advice, assessment and treatment for their drug and/or alcohol problems. We also offer advice and training to local community organisations.

What we offer

• One-to-one key working

• Group work and day programme
• BBV testing and treatment
• Treatment in GP’s surgeries
• Assessment and access to residential detoxification and rehabilitation
• Debt and housing advice
• Specialist women’s groups and support
• Psychological therapy, counselling and group work
• Self-help and mutual aid groups
• Aftercare services including skills coaching
• A health and wellbeing service for people who use substances at lower levels, including alcohol, club drugs, cannabis and cocaine
• Reintegration and Aftercare - education, training and employment (ETE) support
• Family and carers’ support and advice

Location information

99-101 Seven Sisters Road, N7 7QP

Opening hours: Monday: 9.15am-8pm, Tuesday: 1pm-5pm, Wednesday: 9.15am-5pm, Thursday: 1pm-5pm, Friday: 9.15am-6pm (between 5-6 is not open access) 

309 Gray’s Inn Road, WC1X 8QS

Opening hours: Monday: 9am-5pm, Tuesday: 9am-5pm, Wednesday: 9am-8pm, Thursday: 9am-5pm (closed between 2pm-4pm), Friday: 9am-5pm

28b King Henry’s Walk, N1 4NX

Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday: 9am-5pm, Thursday: 1pm-5pm.  There is late night access to this site for planned events on Wednesday and Fridays – for more information on this please contact the site.

Who is the service for?

Our service is free and open to all Islington residents aged 18 or over, as well as their families and carers.

Listen to the Better Lives’ podcast, ‘That Alcohol and Drug Podcast’, below.