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Contents
ON THE COVER
editor’s letter
‘How difficult, when
stigma adds to the pain’
Family support: tackling stigma p6
4 NEWS
I
Scottish government launches new drug and alcohol strategies.
6 FINDING A VOICE
Opening up on stigma to give families much-needed support.
8 AN EQUAL PARTNERSHIP
Let’s make service user involvement meaningful, says Mark Pryke.
10 LEGAL LINE
Don’t miss your chance to challenge CQC inaccuracies, says Samantha Cox.
11 CZAR GAZING
In his first regular column, Mike Trace looks back at the days of the NTA.
11 HAVING THE VISION
Good commissioning goes beyond purchasing, as DDN reports.
12 DRIVING CHANGE
Drug law enforcement has become a tool of oppression, hears HIT Hot Topics.
14 BEYOND THE GATE
Why aren’t all prisons implementing a vital life-saving naloxone strategy?
16 FINAL DESTINATION
Taking the road to recovery in an age of shrinking budgets: the GPs’ conference.
18 POST-ITS FROM PRACTICE
Treatment optimisation is about more than just dose, says Steve Brinksman.
18 IN IT TOGETHER
Lee Collingham gives his personal reflection of the GPs’ conference.
20 AT THE CUTTING EDGE
Claire Brown, editor
DDN looks back at a turbulent 2018 in its review of the year.
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t’s harder than usual at this time of year for any of us who have lost
loved ones or who are struggling to support them through illness.
How much more difficult must it be when stigma adds to the pain
and heartbreak? Katie’s decision to share her story (page 6) is a
courageous one that will help to tackle prejudice on many levels.
Storytelling is particularly helpful in the context of family support,
as John Taylor discovered when he suggested the idea to his clients at
the DAWS Family and Friends service. He found that many had even
stopped talking to people closest to them and were working through
their trauma alone. Tapping into this form of peer support can offer a
valuable source of strength that deserves our encouragement.
As the year comes to a close, conference season has been in full swing
and we have reports from HIT Hot Topics (page 12) and the GPs’
conference (page 16). Our write-up of the LJWG’s event on hepatitis C will
be in our next issue. The themes may be recurring but there are many
new ideas, fresh inspiration and invigorating debates. At HIT there was
an interesting discussion about the ‘othering’ of people in society and an
invitation to re-examine preconceptions.
And in this spirit of contemplation, we reflect back on another year
of cuts and chaos, where we have felt powerless to halt the rise of drug
and alcohol-related deaths. But we are also reminded of some
important things that make a difference – strong harm reduction, good
commissioning, and a commitment to learning from each other.
I hope you enjoy a safe and peaceful festive season and we’ll be back
for the February issue. Keep in touch with us over the break – and don’t
forget to secure your ticket to the DDN conference on 21 February!
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December/January 2019 | drinkanddrugsnews | 3