Don’t miss any of the latest magazine features
The UK’s public health bodies have added their voices to the call for decriminalisation.
Painkiller addiction is a growing issue. In the first of a three-part series, DDN asks, are we responding?
Behind Closed DoorsEncouraging clients to talk about their childhood can help to release them from the long-suppressed trauma of abuse, as psychotherapist Elaine Rose explains
How can we develop our workforce against a backdrop of cuts and challenges? DDN reports from the FDAP conference.
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.
Wales is gearing up to offer medically supervised injecting centres – an initiative that can’t happen soon enough, says Ifor Glyn
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romotional Feature: Embracing Change
Andy had been using alcohol and drugs for more than 20 years before he was admitted to Gloucester House Rehabilitation centre
Building a futureSteve 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.
A helping handPhoenix Futures has launched the Griffiths Edwards Fund to champion his belief that ‘no one size fits all’
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It’s time to stop relying on outdated treatment models and offer clients an approach they can relate to, says Kenneth Robinson
UK governments agree that above all what they want out of treatment is ‘recovery’.
Changes UK chief executive Steve Dixon has ambitious plans for Recovery Central in Birmingham
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.
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
False economiesIs the focus on recovery undermining a highly skilled workforce?
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.
Barriers to workLast 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.
Capturing qualityHow can a system designed to ensure the quality of car parts help us in the substance misuse sector?
Promotional feature: The inspector calls
David Finney gives the latest essential chapter on preparing for Care Quality Commission inspection
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
Promotional 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.
The countdown to the Psychoactive Substances Act has been marked by controversy. Kit Caless shares debate from Addaction’s recent conference
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
Offering support to families affected by addiction means acknowledging the ups and downs of a close bond, says John Taylor
The day’s opening session heard a range of passionate presentations on the theme of getting your message across
The morning’s second session, chaired by Peter Hunter, allowed audience members to put their concerns to some of the sector’s key players
State of the Nation: One of the day’s lunchtime sessions heard delegates debate the current state of English drug policy
Big 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
Are 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
ody and soul Delegates enjoyed demonstrations on complimentary therapies and healthy eating
Jason and Elizabeth met at a DDN conference and brought little Oscar to meet us at this year’s event
Take-home naloxone in prisonsResearch 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.
There’s still time too book your place for the 9th annual DDN conference, 25th February 2016, Birmingham.
Generation DrinkA major new report sheds light on the alcohol habits of the over-50s. Are they risking drinking themselves into an early grave?
Words for the wiseHarry Shapiro has launched a new drug information service with his former DrugScope colleague, Jackie Buckle. He tells us more
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 examines some of the issues behind the rush to outlaw new psychoactive substances (NPS)
rden of griefHelping families through the guilt and anger of losing a loved one can be gruelling for practitioners. Esther Harries looks at how to be prepared
HIT Hot TopicsStigma, misunderstanding and a lack of communication cloud our policy and practice on drugs, said speakers at HIT Hot Topics.
daysThere 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…
Bucking the trendUnlike 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
In a climate of austerity the new drug strategy must grow from our successes, says Paul Hayes on behalf of Collective Voice
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
How can we tackle child safeguarding without risking disengagement? DDN hears a cautionary perspective from public health nurses.
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
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