Event welcome and agenda

Mark welcomes those attending the event, and sets out the agenda for the morning.

Professor Raphaela Kane, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Faculty of Health, Liverpool John Moores University

Opening address.

Professor John Ashton CBE, former Regional Director of Public Health for North-West England

John was responsible for setting up one of the world's first large scale syringe exchange programmes in Liverpool in the 1980s, and has been active in the field of public health for many years. Most recently he published a new book “Blinded by Corona” about the current pandemic.

Mark Whitfield, Intelligence and Surveillance Manager, Public Health Institute

The 2019 data for Cheshire & Merseyside and the National picture.

  Download Mark's Presentation

Neil Woods, Former Undercover Drugs Detective Sergeant, LEAP UK

Neil talks about his experience as a undercover police officer, the “war on drugs” and how the current legal situation in the UK is a cause of DRD.

Kirsten Horsburgh, Strategy Coordinator (drug death prevention), Scottish Drugs Forum

Kirsten presents work which has taken place in response to record levels of DRD in Scotland.

  Download Kirsten's Presentation

Doctor Sam Wright, Senior Research Associate, Manchester Metropolitan University

Dr Sam Wright is a longstanding researcher into interventions to help people with substance use problems, she joined Prof Sarah Galvani’s team in 2016 to focus on palliative and end of life care for people using substances, their family caregivers and the practitioners who support them.

  Download Sam's Presentation

Howard Reed, Intelligence & Surveillance Systems Manager, Public Health Institute

Integrated Monitoring System (IMS) DRD module updates.

  Download Howard's Presentation

Breakout discussion groups

Discussion topics, and feedback session.

Professor Vivian Hope, Public Health Institute, Liverpool John Moores University

Closing remarks.

COVID-19

How has this changed the offer from services and what will we keep going forward?

Mental Health

What are the barriers to people who use drugs (PWUD) receiving quality mental health care?

Homelessness

How can we keep the homeless population safe from overdose?

Prescribing

What can we be done about increased deaths from controlled medications?

End of Life care / Bereavement

Are PWUD receiving a consistent level of care and what support is there for those left behind?

Legal status

What can be done at a local level to make a difference?

Prisons

How can we protect people who use drugs from overdose on their release from prison?

Naloxone

How can we ensure it is freely available to those who need it?