We need to be more attractive to those people we really should be better at engaging , treating and retaining . In Dr Steve Brinksman ’ s words : ‘ Treatment ( OST ) protects , you ’ re less likely to overdose , and if you do overdose you ’ re less likely to die .’
UP AND RUNNING The situation developed quickly and in the run up to International Overdose Awareness Day we planned an update , based on the excellent work of Lynn Jefferys of EuroNPUD . We contextualised the work to the UK , resulting in a total of six short messages released on successive days . By then our small group had expanded as more treatment services and organisations like Release wanted to support . Release kindly helped this larger flock to keep together by providing secretariat support . Given the numbers now involved , consensus on the messages was a little slower , but getting it at all is credit to everyone involved . The harms of nitazenes galvanised us .
We arrived at the idea for an individualised overdose plan because we felt too much of the advice given by staff ( wellmeaning as it is ) doesn ’ t engage people as well as asking them to come up with a plan to account for the circumstances they ’ re in , the drugs they ’ re using and the resources available . Ultimately they ’ re the only ones who know all the detail , the where and when , and – crucially – how they could be found if they did overdose . Our intention is that by asking them to complete a plan it ’ s far more likely to take account of all the things unknown to us , such as where the spare key to someone ’ s flat is . It ’ s also more likely that in making a plan , that person will consider and decide to do the very things we ’ ve been rattling on about for years – carry naloxone , test dose , go slow and so on . Ironic , isn ’ t it ?
We ’ re learning all the time about how best to respond to
nitazenes – this story is about how our thinking has evolved to counter the threat , especially ‘ what works ’, and to ensure that the people who are exposed to it make their own plan that keeps them alive throughout it . We ’ re committed to continue to produce information and advice around these potent synthetic opioids that ’ s helpful to those using drugs , and that centres around the statement and our shared belief that ‘ You are important ’.
The bigger ask of people is to treat any drug as if it ’ s something else , something they ’ re not expecting to take – and be aware of the greater need for universal precautions and looking after each other .
In memory of the many lost , unnecessarily .
Deb Hussey is national safer lives lead at Turning Point ; Jon Findlay is national harm reduction lead at Humankind ; Peter Furlong is national harm reduction lead at Change Grow Live ; Chris Rintoul is innovation and harm reduction lead at Cranstoun ; Maddie O ’ Hare is deputy director of HIT
SIMPLE MESSAGING
Much as the intention was always to provide useful information to PWUD so that they could manage the risk , we knew that people reading the advice on our websites or social media accounts were more likely to be those working in the sector . It made sense to recalibrate and look at how we could influence them to influence the people they work with .
In October we evolved again with this in mind and went to HIT with the idea of keeping the messaging simple , empowering workers to have conversations with PWUD about the nitazenes threat and to discuss a plan for overdose with them . We call it a ‘ Stayin ’ Alive ’ plan rather than an overdose plan . HIT kindly developed some simple posters on our behalf , which could be downloaded and printed in any service , anywhere .
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