Thank you for sharing your amazing work!
Speakers at Hit Hot Topics talked of dilemmas, frustrations and being on the wrong side of the law (p6). But what shone from their talks was the bravery, resilience, determination and clear purpose in making life (a lot) better for their peers. Some of them made uneasy choices and compromised their own safety. Others are struggling through the disappointments and setbacks of funding cuts that make no sense when held against the evidence. We have to hope that cost-effectiveness will be weighed up in human terms.
Our review of the year (p17) reminds us of the struggles at home and abroad, and the pressures we all face. One big positive that seems to have come out of it all is a renewed appetite to work in partnership – particularly the culture of more informed commissioning (p14 and p21) and a harnessing of the collective energy to tackle stigma (p18). We’re also fully involved in helping to skill up the workforce, so please keep participating in our careers series, which focuses on counselling and therapy this month (p22).
I hope you enjoy the festive season and get some time to relax. We’ll be here online and back in print on 6 February. And as the year draws to a close, thank you for sharing your amazing work with us and being part of the DDN community. Take this hug and pass it on!
Read the November issue as an online magazine or download the PDF here
Claire Brown, editor
Please send your letters and comment to claire@cjwellings.com