The inspirational @dannyahmed76 speaking on the successes and then heartbreaking closure of the life-saving Diamorphine Assisted Therapy program in Middlesbrough this year. "This program has not failed. The people who accessed this program have been failed".
Great session by Mat Southwell on Lived and Living experience in the design and delivery of Harm Reduction services at the INHSU Conference Community Day in Glasgow this morning.
Applications closing soon for our PG Cert PG Dip and Masters in substance use and substance use disorders @QUBSSESW September 2022 entry
https://t.co/MG1onBmZP0
With drug deaths at a record high there are now calls for the government to amend legislation to make it easier to pilot overdose prevention centres. @GWShorter says change is needed now @BBCNewsNI@bbcnewsline#overdoseprevention
Great to talk to the superb @JournoClaire and @BBCRichardM about why #NI needs #OverdosePreventionCentres now. Politicians please come and talk to me about how we can save lives and improve communities - conversations matter!
The SISS Extern team (and other NI orgs ) do amazing work in saving lives every week every month, every year. Numbers from a recent analysis show that we have the highest DRD death rate in the 18-34 yrs in the UK and rising. We need a safe consumption room now
@KellyBonner@bbcnewsline A lovely young guy who had a lot to give but never got a chance. How many more young people are going to die before we make changes. RIP.
Huge thanks to our partners at @HomeofNewVision for providing and stocking this new Naloxone (Narcan) vending machine in the Lobby of the Downtown Library. Each kit contains instructions and two doses that can save a life from an opioid overdose. Self serve and free to all.
Thank you for reading #DrugUse4GrownUps and for your kind words.🙏🏾 As you discovered, the gig is up regarding the lies told about the people who use & sell drugs. Most are kind, decent people merely pursuing happiness or relieving pain. Please continue to spread the word.
Drug strategy launched next week,what we know so far:
⬆️ more funding, apparently £700m over three years
⬆️ more focus on diversion
❌ no DCRs
❌ no changes to legislation
Devil in the detail, increased funding vital after 10 years of cuts BUT…
https://t.co/bTfQ9bKdWY
If the decision by the JCDU is to somehow go against the evidence and push to limit the use of methadone and other full agonists, then there will be fewer drug users on the books of services in 5 years.
But mainly because many more will be dead.