let's connect!
THERE WAS PLENTY OF TWEETING AT THE
DDN CONFERENCE... HERE’S A SELECTION
March 2015 |
drinkanddrugsnews
| 15
Get involved:
TALKINGDRUGS
@Talkingdrugs
RT @idhdp: #ddnconf
@MatSouthwell talking about
how we (PUDs, drug free, everyone)
must all work together
ANNA BREWSTER
@AnnaLBrew
Open advocacy planning meeting
to push for access to #naloxone at
#DDNconf… quite a crowd they've
got there!!
ANDY IRVING
@irvingad82
@DDNMagazine @TRPWarwick
It’s all about partnerships. Sheffield
Addiction Recovery Research Group
@SARRGsheff. All the right people
in 1 room.
SARAH MONK
@Sezebez
Great closing speech
at #ddnconf from
@iCanInspire.
Powerful story and
infectious I can
attitude! Well done
@DDNMagazine
SKILLS
CONSORTIUM
@SkillsConsort
Excellent day
yesterday at the @DDNMagazine
service-user conference. Lots of
activity around Naloxone
#NAGEngland
KEVIN JAFFRAY
@drugactivist
@niamhrelease @DDNMagazine
@MatSouthwell Excellent Advocacy
meeting and well presented.
NIAMH EASTWOOD
@niamhrelease
@drugactivist @DDNMagazine
@MatSouthwell great team –
let’s get #naloxone rolled out
nationally #harmreduction
INDERJIT THANDY
@inderjitthandy
@DDNMagazine Hi all another great
conference, well done to all that took
part & to all @DDNMagazine – keep
up the good work x
BROADWAY LODGE
@Broadway_Lodge
Thanks @DDNMagazine another
brilliant conference in Birmingham
yesterday. SO pleased to see so many
ex clients from us looking brilliant!
STACEY SMITH
@StaceInspire
Home sweet home. Had a fun time
connecting & catching up. Same
time next year! Thanks
@DDNMagazine #DDNconf
CHRIS PALING
@chrisbx515
@DDNMagazine #DDNconf
Brilliant day thank you
HAMPSHIRE DAAT
@HantsDAAT
@leahdeacon82 @DDNMagazine
an awesome event, as always!
Happy days!
JAY 'MO' JAMIESON
@dnrroom
Had amazing day at @DDNMagazine
Conference in Birmingham.Big Up
@WISC1014 invite/company.IW
needs #naloxone. Richard McCann
best guest #ICAN
DDN welcomes your FeeDback
Please email the editor,
, or post letters to
DDN, cJ wellings ltd, 57 High street, ashford, kent TN24 8sG.
letters may be edited for space or clarity.
/DDNMagazine @DDNMagazine
POST-ITS FROM PRACTICE
ABOUT A MONTH AGO
I had a patient come in to
see me and tell me what I should prescribe for
them. I am generally very open to discussion
with patients and agreeing a joint plan after a
mutual sharing of information ¬– at least that’s
how I hope it works. However on this occasion
Phil took me a bit by surprise when he sat down
and simply said, ‘I think you need to prescribe
me nalmefene’. He had been drinking around 80-
90 units most weeks but always had one to two
alcohol-free days a week and sometimes three
to four days in a row without alcohol. There was
no morning drinking and no signs of physical withdrawal, although he freely
admitted craving and difficulty in controlling his use when he drank.
I also found out that he was doing a wine-tasting course with a view to
working in the wine industry, so long term abstinence wasn’t an appealing
prospect. He agreed to see our in-house alcohol counsellor for psychosocial
support, although I felt I could adequately support him with an extended brief
intervention. He also agreed to keep a drink diary, and I arranged to see him
again two weeks later.
When he came in he reported no reduction in his drinking so I agreed his
original request to prescribe nalmefene. I reviewed him two weeks later at
which point he had used the drug on seven out of the 14 days and his weekly
consumption was 60 units in the first week and 45 units in the second. He
was pleased with this progress and it will obviously reduce the harm if his
drinking can be maintained at this level, although both he and I
acknowledged that it would be better if he could reduce further.
Previously, I suspect, I would have told him he should become abstinent.
And he would have probably ignored me. Because for him, abstinence simply
isn’t currently an option. For me, it is chastening sometimes to be put on the
spot by patients and challenged to see things differently. I hope that Phil
continues to do well and I hope that I will always listen to what patients feel
will work for them and at least explore the options. That way, we can work
together to reduce harm and improve wellbeing away from the distraction of
pursuing the illusion of the ‘perfect outcome’. Till the next time, anyway.
Steve Brinksman is a GP in Birmingham and clinical lead of SMMGP,
He is also the RCGP regional lead in substance misuse for
the West Midlands.
PUT ONTHE SPOT
Dr Steve Brinksman
on having
his preconceptions challenged
let's connect!
(SOME MORE)
SWANSWELL
February 20 at 6:25am, via Facebook
We had a great day yesterday at the DDN Magazine annual service
user involvement conference.
We made loads of positive connections and got some really good
feedback on the information we were giving out!
FRANCIS COOK
to
We’d be lost without you guys; the one remaining opportunity for
service users to meet, learn and network face to face. Thank you!
