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FEATURES
8
VOICES FOR CHOICES
– COVER STORY
News and views from the second national service user conference in Birmingham.
Using results of a consultation at the event, DDN looks at whether services users had been offered
choices about treatment – and whether those choices had worked well for them.
10 VIEWS FROM ALL SIDES
Paul Hayes of the NTA talks of responsibility; Andy Stonard accuses the drugs field of setting
up people to fail. Caroline Thompson, Mick Webb, Cristina Lora, Sharyn Smiles and Lisa Mallen
give templates for service user success.
12 WELFARE TOWORK?
Delegates were asked what impact they thought the proposed welfare reform bill might
have on them. DDN reports.
14 TALKING THERAPIES... AND AT YOUR SERVICE
Panel discussion with Andy Stonard, Hugo Luck, Dr Chris Ford and Erin O’Mara. Marcus Wilson
explains how the service user group exhibition was a major focal point of the event.
16 VIDEO VIEWS
Service users talk about their experiences of treatment.
REGULARS
4
NEWS ROUND-UP
: Public support for investment in treatment • Services failing gay men • CMO calls
for minimum alcohol pricing • UN sticks to prohibition • Hostels to prescribe naloxone • Bespoke
services get best results • News in brief
6
LETTERS AND COMMENT
:
Advocacy calls; methadone spending; prisoners and drugs; in defence of
nature awareness.
7
POST-ITS FROM PRACTICE
:
Don’t forget contraception when starting treatment, says Dr Chris Ford.
13 NOTES FROM THE ALLIANCE
:
We’re in a unique position to galvanise consultation, says Daren Garratt.
17 PARTNERS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE
:
Nick Walter of Addaction describes the workings of the enhanced
arrest referral service. The second of our series.
18 REGAIN YOUR BRAIN:
Patrick Holford describes how nutrition can reduce craving and prevent relapse
in the final part of our series on the aetiology of addiction.
20 JOBS, COURSES, CONFERENCES, TENDERS
Editorial – Claire Brown
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23 March 2009 |
drinkanddrugsnews
| 3
European Association for
the Treatment of Addiction
F
EDERATION OF
D
RUG AND
A
LCOHOL
P
ROFESSIONALS
Voicing choices
One day in Birmingham – and we were all ears
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There’s a lot in this issue and it’s been hard work to put together – but that’s an accurate reflection of our
DDN/Alliance service user involvement conference in Birmingham. The hard work at the event extended to
the delegates, who contributed their views and participated willingly – in the conference hall, during their
breaks when they answered questions from our superb band of volunteers, and through going to the video
room to give their views on camera.
We’ve pored over the results of this research since coming away from the event. We realised from the
outset that we were not looking to collect scientific data, but capturing a snapshot of service user
experience. What struck me most was the conviction of the commentators – there’s not much sitting on the
fence, but a clear view of what worked or didn’t work, and why.
What also stood out was the difference a worker’s personality and commitment can make to the treatment
experience and its chances of success. We’re so used to hearing how the system fails through lack of
investment and public prejudice, but success or failure in so many cases depends on a clued-up keyworker
who respects the person’s preferences and circumstances, listens to them, and opens up a new world of
realistic and viable choices. As with anything in life, if the subject is fully involved in making that choice there is
a much greater chance of it leading to the desired goal, so it was surprising to come across many other
examples of decisions being enforced on service users, particularly where prescribing is concerned.
The other major concern was the level of ignorance exposed, particularly on the effects of polydrug use,
the signs of alcohol dependency, and detecting mental health problems. By talking and listening we can at
least try to get to the root of what’s not working – so lets take debate way beyond one day in Birmingham.
Page 12
This issue
Page 18
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