Addiction cartoon - Dr Robert Lefever

NUCF Minutes 10/12/2015

Minutes of NUCF

Date: 10/12/2015

Location: Plummer Court

Chair:

Apologises: None

Update on Client Advisory Groups and Events

Trading Places – Trading Places was closed on 6/12/15 due to the need for an additional member of staff to be present. It will be open on 13^th and moving forward a rota of staff members like the one we have for forum members will be set up.

Monday and Wednesday Plummer Court – No issues except more volunteers would be very useful. Times for the two groups were recommunicated – Monday 11.00-1.00 and Wednesday 1.00-3.00. There was some questions from clients around the referral process under the Lifeline service now in Newcastle. Kellie explained that clients don’t have to go to Bridge view for scripts if they are existing clients as there are Lifeline staff at Plummer Court. Bridge view is the initial assessment centre for all new clients in Newcastle.

Guest speaker: Sarah Blakey – Active Inclusion

Sarah explained what active inclusion is and how she engages with the forum on a regular basis.

Sarah talked about the spectrum of needs which is a way of signposting people to the correct areas and giving different levels of advise to people around housing, benefits etc. The spectrum is made up of different tiers and Sarah suggested that the forum may like some tier 1 basic awareness training. Forum agreed this would be useful and Sarah was happy to design and deliver a training presentation in the New Year.

There were some questions around bedroom tax and an example that in Walker some YHN Newcastle residents were exempt. Forum members to get details of specific examples and Sarah will investigate and feedback.

Also discussed homelessness in Newcastle based on an article in the Chronicle claiming 96% of people begging were homeless. Sarah clarified that that was misleading and the actual figures are that 96% of people begging who appeared in court had been homeless.

A member raised a specific question about Elliot House and the fact that he felt he was unsuitable to be there because he was trying to stay abstinent. It was suggested that he speak to his support worker.

DDN Conference

We discussed the conference and what it was all about. Members that wanted to go gave names, places will be limited depending on funding. Then did an exercise to give some responses to questions posted on the DDN website looking for ideas for content for the 2016 event:

Theme is a snap shot of how things are working or not working in our area.

Working/good

Reduction in treatment waiting times

NUCF

Referrals from treatment to rehab

Naloxone roll out and training

Service User involvement in decision making e.g. recent tender bid

Good recovery community

Not working/bad

Communication between services

Waiting times are still too high causing client congestion

Incorrect script levels leading to people putting themselves at risk by using on top

Suggestions for DDN 2016 topics

NPS

Decriminalisation of drugs

Sharing of best practice

Safe places to legally use drugs

Peer mentoring, promote the benefits

Look at the reasons for drug use, get to the root of the problem

Suggestions for speakers

Jeremy Hunt

Russell Brand

PHE

Service user, carer and peer mentor shares

Christmas Parties

Joint NUCF Christmas party is now on 17/12/2015 at St John’s Church, Grainger Street 11.00-3.00

Names of members wanting to attend were taken as places again are limited.

Rota for Trading Places and possible training

Members attending Trading Places this week were agreed and 2 members agreed to be reserves that could be called if we needed more people on Sunday. Also there may be possibility for volunteer training via Changing Lives. Forum members would need to register as Changing Lives volunteers. This to be looked at in more detail in the New Year.

Next forum: 07/01/2016

Guest speaker: To be confirmed

Location: To be confirmed

Nuggets Bird - Addiction Animation

NUCF Christmas Party 2015

NUCF Minutes 26/11/2015

Minutes of NUCF

Date: 26/11/2015

Location: Plummer Court

Chair:

Apologies: None

Update on Client Advisory Groups and Events

Trading Places – Usual update given to new members as to what Trading Places is. No issues on Sunday 28 people through the doors. Christmas party to be on Sunday 20^th December. Rota established for the next 2 weeks and people agreed what weeks they would be attending.

Monday and Wednesday Plummer Court – No issues except more volunteers would be very useful. Times for the two groups were recommunicated – Monday 11.00-1.00 and Wednesday 1.00-3.00.

Recovery Clinic – Terry explained the recovery clinic and the fact that there are virtually no clients engaging with it. View from Plummer Ct is totally different so there seems to be a breakdown in communication. Andy to follow up.

Naloxone Training – Andy gave an update on the Naloxone training roll out that had included 2 people from the forum. Excellent training covering administering Naloxone and additional first aid support. Specific session to be put together for the forum.

Guest speaker: Natalie Goodman – Public Health Practitioner (Alcohol)

Natalie introduced herself and explained that she was going to talk about licensing and alcohol use and prevention. Specifically around young people’s alcohol awareness and is the city safe i.e. what’s happening on the ground.

Talked about the inappropriateness of some marketing and advertising around the city and was it being displayed in the right places? E.g. alcohol advertising outside Plummer Ct.

Comments around trying to promote recovery more on bill boards, poster and TV

Feedback that it was good how quickly the poster outside of Plummer had been removed.

Natalie asked that if the members saw any examples of inappropriate advertising could they take pictures with time, date and location and email to herself or Andy.

Question Can the council influence how drink is sold in licensed premises e.g. triple shots?

We can try, the Police can be informed and there can be conditions added to the licence around timings of opening and music.

Comments added that some coffee shops now have licences and that all licensed premises have a duty of care to their customers inside and outside their premises.

Question Venues in Durham are selling stimulant drinks with inappropriate packaging and marketing e.g. pictures of drugs on them. Also does the council look at where licensed premises are being opened in conjunction with treatment centres or recovery services.

All the premises have to apply for a licence so their location is looked at when the application is made. Also conditions can be added to the licence at a later date. The council will work with the advertising standards to try and influence what can appear in the advertising packaging.

Question Can drinks be put into different containers or have the inappropriate marketing blanked out mirroring what is happening in the tobacco industry?

This is the next stage for alcohol. Alcohol is about 15 years behind the tobacco industry when it comes to the advertising of its products. Very difficult to implement this as it would cost the Government a fortune to implement.

Question What work is being dome with the Universities? (Example given of seeing students with trolleys full of beer).

Newcastle University actually lead on alcohol minimisation. During freshers week 80% of the events had no alcohol themes.

Question Can companies who put up bus stop advertising and signs etc be contacted to put up more positive messages? Can we use the council camera vans to police these?

Good idea Natalie will investigate.

The council will not put alcohol related advertising on their owned bill boards but have less control over rented out space. Ultimate aim is to have no alcohol advertising on any of these boards.

Asks of the forum:

Take pictures of inappropriate advertising

Feedback on inappropriate siting of licenced premises

Feedback and complain about alcohol adverts in cinemas that are inappropriate for the age of the people in the cinema.

DDN

Andy explained that the DDN conference was a national event that the forum had attended regularly. The next event is in Birmingham in February. This would be an agenda point moving forward to see how many people would like to go and the best option for transport.

Christmas Parties

Joint NUCF Christmas party is now on 17/12/2015 at St John’s Church, Grainger Street 11.00-3.00

Trading Places party will be on 2o/12/2015 11.00-2.00

Every one invited to both parties and volunteers needed for the Trading Places party.

Road to Recovery Trust AGM

Property for Newcastle dry bar has now been secured and the AGM will include a tour of the building on 3/12/2015. All full members are welcome to attend, application forms for membership were made available.

Forum Charter and Responsibilities Presentations

The above documents that the forum wrote, reviewed and submitted have been signed off and will be rolled out to all front line staff in January. From here the 1 page documents will be displayed in services around Newcastle. Members of the forum have been asked to lead on roll out and names of people who want to be involved are needed before Christmas. Send names to Andy.

AOB

Terry gave an update on the experts by experience group visit to Stoke and some great learnings. He will also liaise with Oaktrees in N Shields around a possible forum there or some more joint working with the NUCF.

Remembrance and Hope event is on 3/12/2015 3.00pm at Brunswick Church. All welcome.

Next forum: 10/12/2015

Guest speaker: Sarah Blakey from active inclusion

Location: Bridge View

Chair: Terry

Minutes: Richard

NUCF Service User Responsibilities Charter 2015

Service User Responsibilities Charter 

For people who use services in the Drug and Alcohol treatment system 

Our Responsibilities 

• Treat staff with respect and have an open, honest and constructive conversation about our care and treatment  
• Consider the advice we are given by professionals, cooperate with any agreed decisions and work towards achieving them.  
• Make our preferences known in any discussions about our care and once agreed, actively work towards agreed actions  
• Make every effort to attend appointments and keep our personal details up-to-date  
• Take responsibility for our own recovery and look at all things in our lives that could have a positive or negative effect on our wellbeing.   
• Give feedback on our experiences of services. Be honest and open about what help we need, what works, what doesn’t and why.  
• We will work towards making a significant contribution to our own, and where possible our family’s, good health and wellbeing, and take personal responsibility for it.   
• We will endeavor to be seen as capable of changing and becoming positively connected to our local community and support networks  
• We will get access to information on the different pathways to recovery. We will make sure that we get this information in a way we can fully understand it.   
• We will set our own recovery goals, working with others to develop a personalised recovery plan based on accurate and understandable information about our health. Including a wide-range of holistic options to help with our needs and aspirations.  

NUCF Service User Charter and Principles 2015

Service User Charter 

For people who use services in the Drug and Alcohol treatment system 

Our Vision and Principles 

“Our vision as people using services in Newcastle is to be given the appropriate responsive treatment and support to cater for our needs.” 

• To be treated in a professional manner and to be given time to speak and to be listened to. 
• To know that all professionals will treat us with dignity and respect and without prejudice of any kind and an expectation that we will do the same. 
• To be signposted to any services, the recovery community and any peer support that will benefit us in our treatment journey. And take the responsibility to engage with them. 
• To receive information about changes or new services. And be able to give feedback into the new processes. While seeing an ongoing development and improvement of services. 
• To be challenged in a professional manner especially on drug seeking and manipulative behavior. And to accept these challenges and respond appropriately. 
• To be encouraged to include family members or carers during our treatment and that all services will be proactive in enabling this process at every opportunity. 
• To be made aware of a clear procedure for comments (positive and negative) and complaints about the treatment system and receive a written response to any issue raised. To be respectful in the way we raise this feedback.