Solcare proves its worth as solicitors seek its help

Two solicitors with heroin addictions are among 38 who are receiving help for alcohol or drug dependency from the newly opened advice centre, SolCare.

SolCare, a referral service for solicitors suffering from drug and alcohol dependency, stress or depression, opened two months ago.

It aims to help solicitors face the fact that they have a problem and guides them towards appropriate treatment centres.

Former solicitor and recovering alcoholic Barry Pritchard who runs SolCare said both the solicitors with heroin addictions had been working in the criminal justice arena.

According to Pritchard, anecdotal evidence suggests that there are many other solicitors who are already receiving private treatment for heroin addiction.

However, the bulk of SolCare's cases so far relate to alcohol, with around 45 per cent of Pritchard's work coming through concerned friends or colleagues who contact the advice centre because they believe a solicitor has a drink problem.

According to Pritchard, SolCare has been well received. He added: "All the cases are going in the right direction, with one exception, who is just not responding in any shape or form."

Funded by the Law Society and the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors, SolCare is to begin receiving referrals from OSS case workers investigating firms, a move which could see it get up to five extra cases a week.

SolCare can be contacted in strict confidence on 01766 512 222.