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Training designed for people working with drug users
Working with ‘route transitions’ to protect health
and reduce harm
Available for practitioners of all levels, this course can also
be tailored to the needs of DAAT commissioners. The focus is on
evidence and practice regarding interventions that aim to reduce
injecting by a) preventing the transition to injecting b) examining
alternatives to injecting that can be used generally and in in high
risk situations when equipment is shared or overdose risks are higher.
Training can be tailored across 1-3 days and can include:
- An overview of the intervention opportunities and the ‘transitions'
evidence-base
- Skills training on the Break
the Cycle intervention
- Examination of the practicalities of administering drugs intranasally
(sniffing/snorting), by inhalation (chasing) and rectally
- A workshop approach to the development of a sustainable local
strategy
Understanding and using research and audit
Available for practitioners of all levels, this course can also
be tailored to the needs of DAAT commissioners. The focus is on
a) understanding how to use clinical audit effectively to improve
clinical services b) understanding and using research to inform
practice. Training can be tailored across 1-3 days and can include:
- The clinical audit cycle
- Designing and implementing clinical audit
- Commonly encountered qualitative and quantitative research designs
- Critical appraisal of research
- Translating evidence into action – when and how to change
practice
Drug use and mental health
Available for practitioners of all levels, this course can also
be tailored to the needs of DAAT commissioners. The focus is on
a) key concepts within mental health, mental disorder and its management
b) 'dual diagnosis' and the roles of community mental teams/community
drug teams. Training can be tailored across 1-3 days and can include:
- The main forms of serious and enduring mental health problems
that are encountered
- The main pharmacological and psychological treatments that
are commonly used
- Clinical issues associated with managing 'dual diagnosis'
- The 'dual diagnosis' policy environment
- A problem-solving approach to local practice issues
‘Recreational’ drug use: health, risk and harm
Available for practitioners of all levels, this course can also
be tailored to the needs of DAAT commissioners. The training draws
on six years of involvement with the annual Mixmag survey and is
targeted at people working with recreational/dance-drug users. Training
can be tailored across 1-3 days and can include:
- Patterns in use of ecstasy, cocaine, amphetamines, ketamine,
LSD, mushrooms, GHB as well as other ‘exotica’ (e.g.
Blue Mystic, 2CB, 2Ci)
- Reducing risk and harm associated with the commonly encountered
‘recreational’ drugs
- ‘Club health’ – guidance and regulations for
venues
- Clubbers sexual health and safety – contraception, STIs
and sexual assault
Basic health checks
A one day introductory course for drug workers who do not have
a nursing/medical background, explaining and develops skills necessary
for:
- Monitoring height/weight and body mass index with reference
to obesity/malnutrition among drug users
- Measuring radial pulse
- Using a sphygmomanometer to measure blood pressure
- Monitoring respiratory health using 'peak flow'
Self-controlled heroin use: working with people who want to resume
or sustain self-controlled heroin use
A one day course drawing on the latest
evidence about how some heroin users avoid problematic use/dependence
- Aimed at practitioners who work with heroin users who –
initially at least – aim to achieve self-managed heroin
use rather than enter more structured long term treatments
- Addresses self-controlled heroin use within an integrated care
pathway approach, which recognises that opioid substitution and
structured treatment will nevertheless become necessary for some
people
Drug Consumption Rooms
A one day course that appraises the international evidence regarding
the ways that Drug
Consumption Rooms may enhance the health of the most marginalised
drug users and simultaneously reduce nuisance to communities.
- Aimed at practice and policy specialists who wish to understand
the issues associated with Drug Consumption Rooms and their implementation
in countries such as Australia, Canada, Germany and Switzerland
- Examines the policy environment in the UK and the opportunities
and constraints on their use
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