STAYING STRONG IN PARTNERSHIP
UPFRONT
Drink and Drugs News is published by CJ Wellings Ltd , Romney House , School Road , Ashford , Kent TN27 0LT t : 0845 299 3429
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IN THIS ISSUE
USING DRUGS ?
To reduce your risk of an overdose , please take extra precautions when using any type of drug
Drugs are changing
Overdoses are rising
ON THE COVER – Getting the message out there
Assume it ’ s something else
24
Sociodrama
– a vital tool for the sector ?
6
Exploring trauma with anonymous drama
INSIDE
4 NEWS Audit Office warns on drug strategy ; Scotland expands naloxone
8 COMMISSIONING Partnering with homelessness services
10 LETTERS & COMMENT A prisoner ’ s experience of spice
14 CULTURAL COMPETENCE Linking to communities in Leicester
16 THE BIG ASK Qs for a new government 20 KEEP IT LOCAL A Bristol perspective 22 CAREERS Working with family courts
Integrated approaches to smoking cessation
12 18
STAYING STRONG IN PARTNERSHIP
‘ All of this has changed my life for the better .’
Christine , receiving intensive , personalised support to get back into work during recovery through Humankind ’ s IPS service – see our partner updates , www . drinkanddrugsnews . com
DDN is a self-funded independent publication . Our bespoke partnership packages provide an opportunity to work closely with the magazine . Please get in touch to find out more .
‘ A unified message cuts through the noise ’
The campaign to inform people about potentially deadly nitazenes is an essential one ( p6 ). But as well as vital information , we also want to share the efforts to work together across service boundaries to engage with people at risk . This ‘ common responsibility ’ led to a unified message by cutting through the noise of poor information . It ’ s so logical to involve people in making a plan that ’ s directly relevant to them ; how often do we throw the information out there and assume that it ’ s hitting target ?
This consultative approach is also seen to great effect in our latest commissioning article ( p8 ) and through community work in Leicester with people from a south Asian background ( p14 ).
We have two perspectives on drama in this issue , because both have exciting potential . Anonymous drama ( p12 ) is the opposite of anything ‘ stagey ’ but it gives permission to examine the hidden depths of our minds and personalities , offering life-changing possibilities for dealing with unresolved trauma . Meanwhile sociodrama ( p24 ) can be a useful tool for stepping into the lives of others and exploring the situations they face . Both methods can enhance our understanding if we approach them with an open mind . Claire Brown , editor www . drinkanddrugsnews . com and @ DDNmagazine
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