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Introducing 'take home' naloxone in Wales - from strategic direction to delivery
Danny Morris, Independent Trainer and Consultant, Hereford, Rossana Oretti, Consultant Psychiatrist in Substance Misuse, Cardiff Community Addiction Unit and Rhian Hills, Regional Advisor, Gwent Substance Misuse Advisory Team

Abstract
In the Welsh Assembly Government’s new strategy for tackling substance misuse “Working Together to Reduce Harm”, there is a commitment to take actions which focus on reducing the number of drug related deaths and near fatal drug poisonings. One of those key actions contained in the strategy’s 3 year implementation plan is the development of guidance and protocols to introduce Naloxone. In December 2008 the Welsh Assembly Government announced its intention to establish demonstration sites for take home Naloxone.

This workshop will review how clear and direct strategic thinking has resulted in meaningful partnership work to directly address and respond to overdose rates in Wales. It will also consider the lessons learned through the projects evaluation process that will support a national role out of the Naloxone programme.

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Biographies

Danny Morris
I have extensive experience in the social care and health fields. Much of this work has been in substance use and has included development and delivery of detached community work with homeless drug users; outreach HIV prevention and needle exchange to hard to reach groups and management of comprehensive drug treatment services.

I am an accomplished trainer and have, for over sixteen years, been providing training specialising in harm reduction practice and theory and treatment interventions. I also operate as an independent consultant and have worked with both statutory and voluntary organisations to guide policy and evaluate and support more competent delivery of effective interventions that elevates service provision.

Dr Rossana Oretti
MB BS; B Sc (Hons); M Sc; MRC Psych
Consultant Psychiatrist in Substance Misuse

I have worked as a Consultant Psychiatrist in substance misuse for the last 10 years. My current post is at Cardiff Community Addiction Unit. I am a member of the Welsh Assembly Government’s/WAG National Group on Take Home Naloxone and also chair the South Wales Drug Related Death Review Group. I have been a member of the WAG Advisory Panel on Substance Misuse/APoSM for a number of years.

Rhian Hills
Rhian graduated from the University of Glamorgan in 1997 with a BSc in Behavioural Sciences, during this period of study Rhian became interested in substance misuse and subsequently undertook voluntary work with a local drug treatment agency.  Rhian then gained employment in this area and has to date worked in the community, within prisons and probation as a drug worker and manager of services.

In 2002 Rhian became a Joint commissioning Manager at Safer Wiltshire, spending two years commissioning new initiatives.  Whilst in Wiltshire Rhian along with service user representatives set up a successful Take Home Naloxone project, one of the few in England at that time.  In 2008 Rhian took up the post of Regional Advisor for Substance Misuse for The Welsh Assembly Government, in addition to this Rhian is the National Lead on Naloxone, developing Take Home Naloxone initiatives across Wales.

Rhian went on to gain an MSc in Social Science Research focusing on Child Protection and Substance Misuse and is now in the latter stages of a Phd focusing on why people mature out of substance misuse.

During her career, Rhian has spoken at many conferences, including the International Harm Reduction Conference and the National Needle Exchange Conference for Wales on the subject of Naloxone and provides guest lectures to postgraduate students on drug treatment.  Her interests predominantly lie with reducing drug related death and service user involvement.