Anti-overdose scheme sees success
More than 500 people have been trained to administer naloxone by Addaction’s Recovery Partnership, preventing heroin overdoses in Coventry and Warwickshire.
‘Naloxone has now become an integral part of our service delivery’, said Steve Bliss, needle exchange coordinator at The Recovery Partnership in Coventry. ‘Since we started our naloxone programme, we have had service users insisting they have naloxone training,’ he added. Police officers and outreach workers are bringing people into treatment for naloxone. This tells us that our service users and partners are now talking about naloxone and how important this intervention is.’
Since November 2013, 509 people have been trained in administering naloxone, with 619 kits dispensed during that time. There have been 28 confirmed uses of naloxone being used in an overdose situation – an average of nearly one use a month since the launch of the programme.
A further 20-30 unconfirmed uses of naloxone have been estimated in this period, mainly from anecdotal reports from service users and other individuals.
Don’t keep depression under your hat, says Doncaster’s Aspire
‘Don’t keep depression under your hat,’ was the message of Doncaster’s Aspire service, marking Depression Awareness Week from 18-24 April.
Aspire’s New Beginnings Recovery-Orientated Detoxification Service joined organisations around the UK to raise awareness of depression while removing stigma surrounding the condition.
‘For many people who enter services, the most important thing is to begin to believe there is a way out of the situation they’re in,’ said Aspire day programme manager, Paul Wade. ‘We heard from people who had “been there” – they made positive changes in their lives. These people are living proof that there really is a way out.’
The event at New Beginnings saw service users enjoying activities to help enhance their overall mental health and wellbeing – including enjoying healthy food, and talking openly about the support available at the unit.
‘Our event was a real team effort,’ said Mr Wade. ‘It was all about getting depression out in the open by experiencing some of the fantastic help and support that’s available to people who come to New Beginnings.’
To talk to someone in confidence about drug or alcohol issues, you can call 01302 730956 or visit www.aspire.community
London Friend is a friend indeed
London Friend has won a GSK Impact Award – a national award run in partnership with The King’s Fund, designed to show appreciation for the outstanding work of community-based health care charities.
The Islington based charity has been recognised as being at the forefront of tackling ‘chemsex’ – the use of psychoactive drugs in a sexual context, which occurs mostly among men who have sex with men – and aims to improve the health and wellbeing of adult lesbians, gay men, bisexual and transgender people across London. The practice carries an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, as well as side effects from prolonged drug use.
‘We’re thrilled to win a GSK IMPACT Award, and delighted that the hard work and dedication of our volunteers and staff team supporting LGBT people has been recognised in this way,’ said Monty Moncrieff, chief executive of London Friend. ‘Chemsex has emerged as a significant issue affecting gay and bisexual men’s physical and mental health.’
London Friend will receive the prestigious award at a ceremony held at the Science Museum in London on Thursday 12 May, along with 9 other winners. The overall winner, to be revealed on the night, will collect £10,000.
For more information on London Friend, visit www.londonfriend.org.uk