South East ambulance service information sharing protocols
Shared by: Satinder Kang, West Kent Drug & Alcohol Wellbeing Service, Change Grow Live
This is an example of the Southeast information sharing protocols it is a fantastic way of monitoring risk around service users. Staff who sign up with their local ambulance services will have training provided on how to use the system. Then staff after discussion at their local clinical/MDT meetings can add high risk clients such as; recent prison releases, pregnant clients, young people, severe mental health/high risk suicide clients, severe physical health clients, homeless clients, high risk injecting clients etc to this system. If these clients call for an ambulance the service is notified of why they have called for an ambulance, where they have been conveyed to so that we can directly liaise with the appropriate hospital to confirm any OST medication they are on, and any risks associated with them. Helps us to safeguard and manage safety etc.
South East ambulance service - Information Sharing example
Analysis of deaths following methadone and buprenorphine use
Link shared by: Caroline Copeland, King's College London
Methadone and buprenorphine-related deaths among people prescribed and not prescribed Opioid Agonist Therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic in England.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ 36265326/
The English Substance User Commissioners Group
Link shared by: Angela Hall, North Yorkshire County Council
We're in the process of uploading a range of case studies on expansion of Naloxone (across a range of settings) on the English Substance Use Commissioners Group, Preventing Drug and Alcohol Related Deaths Sub-Group page - they're not all uploaded yet, but will include an overview, and details of who to contact for more details:
www.adph.org.uk/ theenglishsubstanceuse commissionersgroup/ preventing-drug-and -alcohol-related-deaths/
Painkiller Addition Information Network (PAIN)
Link shared by: Yasir Abbasi, Westminister Drugs Project
Website with resources relating to opioid pain medication dependence
www.painkillerfree.co.uk
Substance use and palliative care
Link shared by: Sam Wright, Manchester Metropolitan University
Website with resources and guidance for end-of-live care
https://endoflifecaresubstanceuse.com/
Seasonal, weekly and other cyclical patterns in deaths due to drug poisoning in England and Wales
Link shared by: Harry Sumnall, Liverpool John Moores University
A recent study from Dan Lewer and colleagues suggested seasonality with respect to MDMA/cocaine use (i.e. peak at New Year), but not opioids. Deaths peaked in Spring but they didn't know why. Interestingly no increase in deaths in the first week of the month, when people might be receiving their benefit payments.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ doi/10.1111/ add.16175
Over 300,000 ‘excess’ deaths attributed to UK government austerity measures
Link shared by: Wayne Gault, NHS Grampian
Glasgow Centre for Population Health, news story and report
www.gcph.co.uk/ latest/ news/ 1058
Budget reductions and increases in drug related death
Link shared by: Wayne Gault, NHS Grampian
Association between disability-related budget reductions and increasing drug-related mortality across local authorities in Great Britain.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ 34311390/