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July 2008

News Stories

SDF makes joint response to anti-poverty consultation

16 July 2008

SCOTTISH Drugs Forum has linked up with Alcohol Focus Scotland and the Scottish Poverty Information Unit to submit a response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on tackling poverty, inequality and deprivation.

Key recommendations from the joint response include:

Tackling high unemployment levels, poverty and financial exclusion among people with drug and alcohol problems should be a priority of the new Fairer Scotland Fund – a three-year funding programme totalling £435 million to address poverty and unemployment through Community Planning Partnerships.
Increasing the use of ‘community benefit clauses’ within local regeneration programmes to undermine illegal economies by offering meaningful job opportunities to those recovering from a drug problem. Community benefit clauses are legally binding and ensure that those awarded contracts must employ a certain percentage of local people.
Ensuring an accurate national picture of all kinship carers is developed to avoid a postcode lottery system of kinship payment that may exacerbate child and pensioner poverty levels in Scotland.

You can download the full response here (Word 389kb) or (PDF 168kb)

Service users call for better Hep C information

30 July 2008

MORE and better information to help people affected by Hepatitis C (HCV) are among the key recommendations in a

study of healthcare experiences of HCV positive people in Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

The peer-led scoping exercise - commissioned by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Managed Care Network for HCV and undertaken by Scottish Drugs Forum - calls for clear and consistent information to meet the needs of HCV positive people by:

debunking myths and highlighting actual risks regarding onward transmission
providing information using a range of resources and face-to-face interventions
equipping family and friends with information on some of the difficulties that people can experience following diagnosis - including how to manage the symptoms of HCV infection and particular issues concerning treatment
providing practical advice on how to maximise health for HCV positive people such as suggestions on diet, exercise and stress management.

It also recommended:

testing in whatever setting should be delivered to an agreed standard, including adequate pre- and post-test discussion to discuss patients’ fears, anxieties and the implications of the test results
patients with other issues - such as drug and alcohol problems, imprisonment or experiencing difficulties in coming to terms with their diagnosis - should be given choice over timing for referral to clinical care so allow them to address other priorities first
further research be undertaken to build on the study findings.

Seventy-nine people took party in the study, which found only 16 had received treatment for their hepatitis C infection and 31 percent (5/16) reported that they would have appreciated more information and/or support during treatment.

One quarter of those questioned had not understood the testing process or the meaning of the results. One-third of those who had not understood thought the explanation of the test could have been better and wanted more information about the symptoms of HCV and how the virus might affect quality of life.

The survey also found that four had been tested with neither their knowledge nor consent - two women attending antenatal clinics, one unconscious in hospital following a drug overdose and one whilst in prison.

Ten of the 40 people not referred to hospital at the time of diagnosis did not know why they had not been referred or thought that this was due to a lack of knowledge or engagement on the part of staff at the testing agency.

Understanding

Forty-seven percent (36/77) reported that their status had affected their friends and family, the majority reported fears and concerns regarding onward transmission of the virus.

"Many of these concerns were based on a lack of understanding on the part of others regarding routes of transmission," said the report.

Many lacked even a basic understanding of hepatitis C and expressed a need for general information about the condition. More specifically, they had concerns about the impact of HCV on quality of life, symptoms that could be expected and general prognosis.

"This study suggests that there is a need to increase efforts to address any ‘fear, worry and confusion’ that could be experienced at the time of diagnosis, according to the report.

Almost half of the respondents to this study who had attended hospital highlighted the value they placed on the effective communication skills shown by clinical staff.

"They especially valued being treated with respect and having each step of the patient journey explained to them in simple language," said the report authors.

When asked how their experience of clinical care could have been improved, the need for more information and support was re-emphasised. Respondents were keen to understand what would happen to them in hospital and had continuing concerns relating to the impact of HCV on their health and wellbeing."

Hepatitis C Patient Journey Evaluation - Findings from an initial scoping exercise: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Scottish Drugs Forum

Hepatitis C Action Plan for Scotland: Phase II: May 2008 - March 2011

Service user involvement changes underway in Greater Glasgow and Clyde

31 July 2008

SERVICE user involvement for drugs and alcohol across Greater Glasgow and Clyde is undergoing a major transformation.

Scottish Drugs Forum (SDF) and Alcohol Focus Scotland (AFS) have teamed up to deliver the work of a new multi-agency Service User Involvement Partnership (SUIP), with a new capacity-building focus on supporting staff and services - including voluntary providers - to develop their own UI practices.

The approach represents a shift away from both organisations’ previous sole focus on directly facilitating user involvement groups in areas such as peer research, although this type of work will continue to be supported by SDF and AFS staff.

Working along with local partners and services, the Partnership’s aims are to:

provide an authoritative voice and source of information on SUI
champion SUI work with local services and staff
promote and develop good practice exchange on SUI
support staff development activity on SUI
promote and encourage best practice and consistency on SUI work
report regularly on the work of the Partnership.

The project will work with a range of alcohol and drug service providers, including staff who are facilitating service user groups or activities and service users within - and across - local Community Health Care Partnerships/Community Health Partnerships (CHCP/CHPs).

steering group

Participants include Glasgow Addiction Service, Community Addiction Teams, Aberlour Child Care Trust (on behalf of voluntary sector providers), secondary health services, community and residential services.

The Partnership is guided by a Steering Group comprising a group of experienced service users, staff of the alcohol and drug action teams, representatives from Aberlour for the voluntary sector, Glasgow Addiction Services, Eriskay House for secondary health services, Community Health Care Partnerships/Community Health Partnerships (CHCP/CHP) addiction managers and AFS/SDF managers.

It is sponsored by Greater Glasgow & Clyde Alcohol & Drug Action Teams for two years and the project contract is managed by Glasgow Addiction Service.

SDF will have a lead role in East Dunbartonshire, Glasgow East, South East and South West, with AFS taking a lead in West and North Glasgow, West Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and East Renfrewshire.

mapping

Project staff will be carrying out an initial mapping of SUI practice within and across CHCP/CHP areas over the next few months. This will establish the range of current approaches to SUI, to identify and promote good practice and begin to identify the potential support needs of services, staff and service users in taking forward SUI work.

Project staff will also offer support and input to local SUI initiatives alongside local services, staff and service users while the mapping exercise is taking place.

The project has adopted the following definitions of service user involvement from the National Quality Standards for Substance Misuse Services Good Practice Guide:

“The active participation of people who, because they have used services, can bring their knowledge and experience to contribute to the design, planning, delivery and evaluation of services at a local, regional and national levels.”

SDF Project staff are Iain Cowden, Development Manager and Joan Currie, SUI Development Officer, tel 0141 221 1175. The AFS Project Team is Laura McFadzen, Development Manager, Caroline Kessell and John Dunn, SUI Development Officers, tel 0141 572 6700.