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Going Public

The UK’s public health bodies have added their voices to the call for decriminalisation.

 

 

Cath

Cry For Help

Painkiller addiction is a growing issue. In the first of­­ a three-part series, DDN asks, are we responding?

 

 

ElaineRoseBehind Closed Doors

Encouraging clients to talk about their childhood can help to release them from the long-suppressed trauma of abuse, as psychotherapist Elaine Rose explains

 

 

Screen Shot 2016-07-08 at 14.44.10Force For Change

How can we develop our work­force against a backdrop of cuts and challenges? DDN reports from the FDAP conference.

 

 

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Promotional Feature: Made to Measure

It’s time to ditch the ‘one size fits all’ approach and be ready to respond to clients’ needs – whatever stage they’re at.

 

 

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Safe Space

Wales is gearing up to offer medically supervised injecting centres – an initiative that can’t happen soon enough, says Ifor Glyn

 

 

PGHouse2romotional Feature: Embracing Change

Andy had been using alcohol and drugs for more than 20 years before he was admitted to Gloucester House Rehabilitation centre

 

 

Jobs friends and housesBuilding a future

Steve Hodgkins is the founder and CEO of Jobs, Friends and Houses – a multi award-winning social enterprise offering employment, peer support and accommodation to people in recovery from addiction.

 

 

Griffith EdwardsA helping hand

Phoenix Futures has launched the Griffiths Edwards Fund to champion his belief that ‘no one size fits all’

 

 

Kenneth Robinson

Promotional feature: An honest relationship

It’s time to stop relying on outdated treatment models and offer clients an approach they can relate to, says Kenneth Robinson

 

 

mike ashton

Identity crisis

UK governments agree that above all what they want out of treatment is ‘recovery’.

 

 

 

Russel Brand

Work, rest and play

Changes UK chief executive Steve Dixon has ambitious plans for Recovery Central in Birmingham

 

 

hepc

Promotional feature: Stigma: Hepatitus C and drug misuse

An understanding of existing barriers to hepatitis C care is important to help empower people with the virus to access help.

 

 

 

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Damp squib?

Sector’s reactions to last month’s event in New York, and DDN hears from one of the architects of President Obama’s drug policy

 

 

Screen Shot 2016-05-06 at 12.26.07False economies

Is the focus on recovery undermining a highly skilled workforce?

 

 

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Promotional Feature: Complex Care 

Pulse Addictions provides tailored training, consultancy and clinical management in the field of substance misuse and associated areas to organisations across the UK.

 

 

damecarolblackBarriers to work

Last July the government asked Dame Carol Black to conduct an independent review into the challenges of getting and staying in work for people with drug and alcohol problems, or who are obese.

 

 

Screen Shot 2016-05-06 at 11.02.06Capturing quality

How can a system designed to ensure the quality of car parts help us in the substance misuse sector?

 

 

FinneyPromotional feature: The inspector calls

David Finney gives the latest essential chapter on preparing for Care Quality Commission inspection

 

 

NACOA’s (the National Association for Children of Alcoholics)

Painful inheritance  NACOA’s annual lecture 2016

NACOA’s (the National Association for Children of Alcoholics) annual lecture at the House of Commons set out an action plan to give the issue the public profile it deserves. DDN reports

 

 

hepcPromotional Feature: Hepatitis C: New hope, old problems

People with hepatitis C in the UK have a greater chance of being cured now than at any other point in the history of the disease.

 

 

Kit Caless

Different wavelengths

The countdown to the Psychoactive Substances Act has been marked by controversy. Kit Caless shares debate from Addaction’s recent conference

 

 

Michael Linnell1

A smack in the eye — Michael Linnell’s graphic harm reduction campaigns

Thirty years after Michael Linnell’s first graphic harm reduction campaigns burst onto the scene he recalls the outrage – and the results – that spurred him on

 

 

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Emotional rollercoaster

Offering support to families affected by addiction means acknowledging the ups and downs of a close bond, says John Taylor

 

 

picturethislogo

Picture this

The day’s opening session heard a range of passionate presentations on the theme of getting your message across

 

 

Giving voice logoGiving Voice

The morning’s second session, chaired by Peter Hunter, allowed audience members to put their concerns to some of the sector’s key players

 

 

getthepicture

Get the Picture

State of the Nation: One of the day’s lunchtime sessions heard delegates debate the current state of English drug policy

 

 

bigbusinesslogoBig Business

‘Don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t have valuable skills,’ Big Issue founder John Bird told delegates in the day’s powerful final session

 

 

leeAre you involved?

Here members of the Nottingham team tell us about a system they believe is working well. We’re relying on you to let us know what’s happening in your area

 

 

BC_IMG_8492ody and soul

Delegates enjoyed demonstrations on complimentary therapies and healthy eating

 

 

oscarddnbaby

Meet Oscar, the DDN baby!

Jason and Elizabeth met at a DDN conference and brought little Oscar to meet us at this year’s event

 

 

 

Naloxone in prisonsTake-home naloxone in prisons

Research consultant, Arun Sondhi, from the Centre for Public Innovation (CPI), talks to DDN about the findings of his latest research into take-home naloxone in prisons.

 

 

Conference collage

From little acorns…

There’s still time too book your place for the 9th annual DDN conference, 25th February 2016, Birmingham.

 

 

Julie BreslinGeneration Drink

A major new report sheds light on the alcohol habits of the over-50s. Are they risking drinking themselves into an early grave?

 

 

Drugwise DuoWords for the wise

Harry Shapiro has launched a new drug information service with his former DrugScope colleague, Jackie Buckle. He tells us more

 

 

Richard Johnson

Learning for life

Education and training are often discarded when substance use takes over. Richard Johnson describes how ANA’s new programme is helping clients to reconnect

 

 

Kit Caless

Tough measures

 Kit Caless examines some of the issues behind the rush to outlaw new psycho­active substances (NPS)

 

 

BuEsther Harriesrden of grief

Helping families through the guilt and anger of losing a loved one can be gruelling for practitioners. Esther Harries looks at how to be prepared

 

 

Alex StevensHIT Hot Topics

Stigma, misunder­standing and a lack of communication cloud our policy and practice on drugs, said speakers at HIT Hot Topics.

 

 

DarkDark days days

There wasn’t very much to celebrate in 2015, a year that saw both England and Scotland record their highest ever number of drug-related fatalities, while a surprise outright Conservative election win heralded yet more belt-tightening and austerity…

 

Josie Smith and Chris EmmersonBucking the trend

Unlike in England, drug deaths in Wales have been falling since 2010 – a result that can be traced to Welsh public health policy and harm reduction practice, say Josie Smith and Chris Emmerson

 

 

Paul Hayes

Leaner and keener

In a climate of austerity the new drug strategy must grow from our successes, says Paul Hayes on behalf of Collective Voice

 

 

adfam conference

Playing safe

Are we doing enough to protect children from their parents’ drug and alcohol use? At a recent safeguarding conference there was plenty of cause for concern

 

 

Public Health NursesTread softly

How can we tackle child safeguarding without risking disengagement? DDN hears a cautionary perspective from public health nurses.

 

 

Erin O'Mara

The state we’re in

Forcing stable people off their heroin scripts and into chaos is evidence of a British drug treatment system in terminal decline, says Erin O’Mara

 

 

Karen BiggsNo place like home

Phoenix Future’s new report Building recovery friendly communities makes the case for specialist recovery housing as a pathway to long-term recovery. Karen Biggs tells DDN why this is an opportunity not to be missed