Substance Misuse
Drug / Ex-Drug Users' Forum (DUF)
Priority Action Plan 2008/9
The issues of priority are:
- Full implementation of Clinical Guidelines and NICE Guidance alongside Models of Care.
- Mental Health/Dual Diagnosis. Continue to support the Dual Diagnosis Group and monitor the implementation of the Nottinghamshire Dual Diagnosis Strategy.
- To advocate for the commissioning of substance misuse services.
- Aftercare/ Through care - Ongoing support made available for all service users regardless of whether they are using, on substitute prescribing, or free from substances. Support the CDP in the design of a system of meaningful activities ("Unstructured Day Programme"). Continue to highlight the non drug issues affecting service users, including loneliness, isolation and boredom, as well as practical issues like debt, benefits etc. Support development of out of hours and weekend coverage and structured activities to maximise the chances of stability for service users.
- Harm Reduction - To promote all aspects of harm reduction and ensure drug users have access to up to date information in relation to harm reduction advice: particularly Blood Borne Viruses and septicaemia. Support the implementation of the Harm Reduction Strategy across Nottingham.
- Training - Provide relevant training and funding to assist members in attending partnership meetings and conferences. Actively seek opportunities to provide training and development opportunities for members. To promote cross training of general support workers, staff ad service users. E.g. housing and substance misuse staff.
- Housing - Advocate for suitable and supported accommodation for recovering drug addicts. Access to emergency accommodation, second stage provision, including accessible abstinent housing and move on support.
- Children - Investigate issues around access to treatment for parents and the provision of child care. Maintain pressure for family support in treatment, including couples counselling, the involvement of carers in a client's treatment if appropriate and support services for carers in their own right, including children who are the carers of a drug user.
- Diversity and Equality - Continue to promote, within our own practice and across the treatment sector. Continue to support specific initiatives around BME and LGBT communities. Continue to engage in a programme of Speak Out events to reach out to groups and individuals across all communities that do not easily engage. Recognition of newer under served communities emerging, such as Eastern European migrants.
- Service User Involvement Continue to press statutory organisations, partnerships and services for the full involvement of their service users, in line with the requirements of Section 11 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 (now S242 of the consolidated NHS Act 2006). To support new service user led initiatives where appropriate and to share the experience of the forum with other areas wishing to set up involvement projects.
