West Lothian Drug and Alcohol Service - reducing harm, supporting recovery

“The biggest barrier to people seeking help with addiction is fear of being stigmatised,” says Mark Vance, General Manager of the West Lothian Drug and Alcohol Service (WLDAS) “But we’re here for everyone. We take a person-centred approach, through a trauma informed lens helping people get their lives back on track at a level of support they are actively involved in and therefore, comfortable with.”

The service was set up 40 years ago by two West Lothian residents who wanted to establish a need for support for families impacted by alcohol use. It developed from there and today, along with other organisations (NHS & Social Work Community Addictions Service, CGL and Circle) within the West Lothian Addiction Care Partnership, is still providing excellent help for local people and families who are struggling with addictions including alcohol and drugs.

“We see success stories,” says Mark, “and a significant number of our volunteers are people who have lived experience of addiction or have been WLDAS clients in the past, who have recovered and want to help others. There is no judgement.”

The main service is therapeutic support, funded primarily by West Lothian Council. This includes an assessment and a series of one-to-one therapy sessions with specialist counsellors. They also run support groups focusing on issues such as depression, anxiety management, emotional regulation, survive and thrive and coping strategies. People may be referred to WLDAS from several other services, or they can self-refer; it makes no difference where the referral comes from, the assessment and support process is the same.

"There is no need to struggle on alone"

Alcohol is the biggest problem here in West Lothian, but the service covers all drugs including prescription medication. Recent negative headlines about drug-related deaths in Scotland, which has the worst rate in Europe, has put the focus for funding support onto treatment and recovery, but prevention and getting to root causes is essential. Use of drugs or alcohol can often be traced to childhood trauma that has never been dealt with, and more generally is frequently related to poor mental health, trauma or circumstances of deprivation, lack of opportunities and isolation.

WLDAS offer therapeutic support

“We help people get their lives back on track at a level they are happy with,” explains Mark. “We are not necessarily working towards 100% abstinence if that isn’t the client’s realistic goal. It’s very much a person-centred approach where we listen to the client and collaboratively identify new coping strategies, healthy habits, and supporting them to a self-directed level they can function at.”

A lot of Mark’s time is spent securing funding from different sources to ensure they can continue to deliver their range of services. At present, besides the core therapeutic support, these include:

• Family Matters, offering help to family members affected by a loved one’s addiction

• Wraparound Project, Young People’s services, for 12- to 18-year-olds either using drugs or alcohol, or who are affected by a family member’s use of drugs and/or alcohol – whole family support.

• Grief Matters, for 12- to 18-year-olds who have experienced a sudden unexpected death (not necessarily a drug or alcohol related death).

• Art Therapy, for young people and adults looking for an alternative to traditional talking therapy (internal partnership referrals only).

• Harm Reduction Outreach, providing Injecting Equipment Provision (IEP), wound care, Dry Blood Spot Testing (DBST), Naloxone and signposting/referrals to other relevant services in partnership with NHS Lothian Harm Reduction Team.

• Same Day Prescribing (opiate substitute prescribing only) and Drop-in clinic, supporting NHS Community Addictions Service providing harm reduction advice, referral/triage and information on other relevant services.

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Weekly Drop-in Clinics

Whether you’re ready to make a change or just want to chat about options, we’re here.

Mon: Bathgate Health Centre 9am-12pm

Tues: Howden Health Centre 1pm-4pm

Wed: Strathbrock Broxburn 1pm-4pm

Thur: Whitburn Health Centre 11:30am – 2:30pm

Fri: Blackburn Health Centre 9am-12pm

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They have recently secured funding to explore delivery of a new 12-month project related to vaping - something schools have been asking for. It will eventually be a training programme delivered to professionals to increase their understanding and knowledge of the prevalence, risk and impact to young people using vaping products. There is comparatively little research on vaping at present so it’s early days, but WLDAS is keen to be able to work in this area as soon as possible as there is no other project of its kind currently.

“A number of our volunteers have lived experience of addiction or have been WLDAS clients in the past, have recovered and want to help others. There is no judgement.”

Outreach training is another important aspect of their work. A significant programme - Naloxone Champion - which they started in 2021, is training people to supply administer naloxone in emergency situations where someone has taken a potentially fatal overdose of opioids. Naloxone buys some vital time until emergency services can be reached. “We have trained hotel staff, security workers, taxi drivers, social workers, housing staff, all our own staff and volunteers, as well as family members of people with addiction. Over the past four years, we have distributed over 2000 kits of this life-saving medication.” If you are involved in a group interested in this training or a member of the community who would like to be involved, please contact WLDAS.

One problem with services in the health sector can be people being passed from pillar to post. But WLDAS works very closely with its partner organisations in the West Lothian Addiction Care Partnership, so that across the range of relevant supports there is an excellent joined-up service covering people at various stages of their journey. It offers continuity of service as you move from one to another. Partner services include support for people in addiction who are chaotic in their use of substances and therefore at serious risk of harm or even death, through to recovery, re-engaging with things they used to do; help with volunteering and steps back to employment or college; cognitive behavioural therapy, and many other services. Partnership working is essential as at times, one person has more than one need to be addressed.

There is no need to struggle on alone. For anyone with an addiction, or family/friends who are impacted by addiction of a loved one – reach out to West Lothian Drug and Alcohol Service. The first step to getting help can be the hardest, so WLDAS are happy to take a call from a family member or friend impacted by a significant other’s substance use, as well as the person using substances.

If you or someone you know could benefit from seeing a counsellor at WLDAS or any other service within the partnership through the ‘no wrong door’ policy, please call 01506 430225 or email enquiries@wldas.org. Website www.wldas.com.

Office hours:

9am-5pm Mon – Fri and evening clinics Tuesday and Thursday by appointment only

The WLDAS counselling and psychological therapies service is registered/accredited by the COSCA Recognition Scheme. COSCA is Scotland’s professional body for counselling and psychotherapy.

West Lothian Drug and Alcohol ServiceFirst Floor, The Almondbank Centre, Shiel Walk, Craigshill, Livingston, EH54 5EH

Charity registered in Scotland, number SC005776

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Published in Konect November 2025

Author: Helen-Jane Gisbourne

#addiction #drugs #counselling #alcohol