The reported rise in drug related deaths in England has been of particular concern to the NHS SMPA so we have welcomed the opportunity to respond to the Health and Social Care Committee’s inquiry into drug Policy.
Read More
Public Health England has launched a new review on the use of prescription opioid medicines in the UK. NHS SMPA’s Emily Finch was invited onto BBC’s Radio 4’s Today programme yesterday to discuss opioid use in England.
Read More
Alcohol-related illness creates a huge cost for the NHS and causes considerable harm not only to the those who are drinking, but also to their family and friends. However, among many, perceptions around the ‘normal’ intake of alcohol are far from the recommended maximum units and there is little understanding of the phrases used to explain alcohol-related illnesses.
Read More
Referred to by one English Police and Crime Commissioner as “the most severe public health issue we have faced in decades”, Spice is one of a group of synthetic cannabinoids whose notoriety is growing by the day.
Read More
Today is World Mental Health Awareness Day and, this year, the focus is on children and young people’s mental health. According to the World Health Organisation, half of all mental illness begins by the age of 14, and, unsurprisingly, the “harmful use of alcohol and illicit drugs among adolescents is a major issue”.
Read More
Join in the debate at the NHS Substance Misuse Provider Alliance Conference 2018, where Danny Hames, Chair of NHS SMPA, will be starting the discussion, and providing a some of the answers, to this challenging question.
Read More
“The first thing we have to remember is that every death represents a huge loss for a family, loss of a son or daughter, parent or sibling, so this is really affecting people.”
Read More
Ahead of International Overdose Awareness Day next month, here is our guide to what to do if you think someone has overdosed.
Read More
The needs of long-term heroin users are increasingly complex. Additionally, trends showing a rise in the prevalence of crack, the use of new Psychoactive Substances (NPS) (particularly in the prison and homelessness populations), and the threat of Fentanyl provide significant challenges for commissioners. It is crucial that in future, commissioners procure services that are able to respond effectively.
Read More
Leaving aside the debates in the media regarding Police numbers and budgets, I was drawn to growing concerns regarding the prevalence and purity of crack cocaine in UK markets, and consequently its link to increasing levels of serious violence across the country.
Read More
While cuts are reportedly at 30%, they are as high as 45% in some local areas. This has led to diminishing support for people with complex multiple needs associated with their substance use, and a shift from systemic (integrated) provision to simple service provision in many areas of the UK.
Read More
Naloxone does not reduce drug use, but it is a key tool in the arsenal for reducing drug-related deaths.
Read More
Too often, substance misuse starts as an ill-advised coping strategy. People try to manage their mental ill-health themselves, with self-prescribing feeling, at times, like the only ‘solution’ available.
Read More
From a NHS SMPA perspective, no provider would stop or reduce a service user’s prescription unless there were sound clinical justifications for doing so, and no commissioner acting as a responsible guardian over the treatment system would pursue this.
Read More
‘Nostalgia isn’t what it is used to be’ goes the witty quote, but are drug and alcohol services what they used to be?
Read More
What unites the NHS SMPA is a belief that people deserve high quality services which can improve their lives. To achieve this, we are clear that services should be built on the following five principles.
Read More
There is currently a very prominent debate regarding the reduction in funding for substance misuse services and rightly so. The emphasis on ensuring we are competent and thoughtful guardians of funding, and that we properly benefit service users has never been more important.
Read More