Content warning: Some readers may find details in this case study distressing.
In a recent ITV News report, journalist George Hancorn was given exclusive access to a pioneering NHS ketamine clinic at Aintree Hospital in Liverpool. The feature, Ketamine: What’s Next?, shines a light on the growing number of young people experiencing severe physical harm linked to ketamine use, at a time when the drug is increasingly under scrutiny and may be reclassified as Class A.
You can watch the full ITV News report here: https://youtu.be/o97P9dtvkoQ?si=TKZcVJ5WUFzTtxVe
A new response to a growing problem
The bespoke clinic was established to address a sharp rise in referrals of teenagers and young adults suffering from serious urological complications caused by ketamine. These are not isolated cases but part of a wider trend being seen across NHS services.
One 27-year-old woman featured in the report describes the devastating impact the drug had on her life:
“I was in nappies, I was wetting myself. The fact I’m out of them is a massive achievement and something I never thought would happen.”
Following specialist treatment to repair damage to her bladder, she has been able to stop using adult nappies for the first time in months, a milestone that highlights both the severity of ketamine-related harm and the importance of timely medical intervention.
Understanding ketamine bladder
Consultant urologist Katie Moore explains that clinicians are seeing increasing numbers of young patients presenting with complex and painful conditions linked directly to ketamine use.
“I’ve just finished an on-call run and I had the biggest number I’ve ever seen of in-patient ketamine users. We’re seeing these young people whose pain can’t be managed as a result of having taken the drug and so they resort to taking more ketamine.”
Repeated ketamine use can lead to a condition commonly referred to as ‘ketamine bladder’, where inflammation and scarring cause the bladder to shrink. This can result in chronic pain, severe urinary frequency and long-term damage.
Nurse Ambre Au-Delves describes the realities of treating patients with this condition:
“These appointments take a lot longer because patients are running to the toilet every five minutes.”
The reduced capacity of the bladder varies from patient to patient, but the impact on dignity, mental health and quality of life is often profound.
The importance of joined-up care
The Liverpool clinic represents an important step towards recognising ketamine-related harm as a complex medical and addiction issue. For many young people, ongoing drug use is driven by unmanaged pain, creating a cycle that can only be broken through specialist, integrated care pathways that address both physical injury and substance use.
At Choices Rehabs, we believe this case study underlines the urgent need for early intervention, clear public education and access to evidence-based addiction treatment alongside NHS services. As conversations continue around ketamine’s legal classification, the real-world harm being experienced by young people must remain central to the debate.
To read more about Ketamine, its uses, effect, hazards and read our case study here.
Founded in 2013, Choices Rehabs is a consortium of independent addiction treatment providers in the United Kingdom.