UPFRONT
Drink and Drugs News is
published by CJ Wellings Ltd,
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Editor: Claire Brown
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IN THIS ISSUE
ON THE COVER: The benzo trap
9
Gender
inequality in
lockdown
6
All in it together
– the power of
partnership
REGULARS
4 NEWS
Chance to end
rough sleeping
8 PARLIAMENT
Cross-party group
takes to Zoom
10 LETTERS
Thoughts on
solidarity and
dealing with stress
16
Bill Nelles on how
doctors shaped
drug treatment
COVID-19, what
happens next?
17 14
STAYING STRONG IN PARTNERSHIP
Find the resources to stay ahead of
coronavirus from the DDN partners
and community at
www.drinkanddrugsnews.com
We are especially grateful to our network of
partners at this difficult time and thank each
and every one of them for their loyal support.
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‘We need to be proactive
and responsive’
INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENTS and impressive collaboration
have characterised our sector’s response to the crisis (page 8).
But what we also need to keep up with are the changes in the
drugs market and regional trends that could tip the drug-related
deaths crisis into further catastrophe. One of the trends identified
by Release’s new drug monitoring network is increased use of
benzodiazepines, so our cover story looks at how we can respond to
this by developing urgent new pathways and treatment protocols.
It’s essential that we remain proactive and responsive at the same
time as making so many other adjustments to routine.
Commissioners have been thinking along the same lines and
there’s an invitation to join a new national forum on page 11. As
we’re all particularly concerned about diminishing resources and the
threat of services being decommissioned, it’s the right time to create
a space for clear strategy and a representative commissioner voice.
Collective Voice are working hard for the treatment sector and
invite your involvement in rising to important challenges (p14).
When we emerge from this crisis let’s not
forget the many gains we’ve discovered
from working more closely together.
Claire Brown, editor
Keep in touch at
www.drinkanddrugsnews.com
and @DDNmagazine
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