NI conference learns from substance misuse experiences

The Regional Service User Network (RSUN), with support from Council for the Homeless Northern Ireland (CHNI) and the Public Health Agency (PHA), hosted a conference last week to look at service user involvement and harm reduction.

People who use substance misuse services had an opportunity to share their experiences to help improve services and to tackle and reduce the harm associated with substance misuse.

Victoria Creasy, Health and Social Wellbeing Improvement Senior Officer at the PHA, said: “The PHA recognises that service user involvement is vital to help ensure that services are appropriate and meet the needs of those who use them.

“We have been working closely with service users for many years. In 2011, we set up the RSUN to allow service users to have a voice in, and to inform, alcohol and drug policy and practice in Northern Ireland. In 2013, CHNI was given the responsibility to continue to develop the RSUN.

“The conference, which was planned by service users, was a moving testimony to the courage of people who have addressed their addictions, and an insight into how important it is for us all to work together in this challenging area.”

Hannah Eynon and Joanne Branigan, CHNI coordinators, said: “We are delighted to have hosted our Annual RSUN Conference at Spires in Belfast. This was a terrific opportunity to bring like-minded people together to discuss the issues relating to addiction and what Harm Reduction means.

“We were pleased to host speakers from each Health and Social Care Trust area who are members of the network. We also heard from Anne-Marie Cockburn who told her daughter Martha’s story and what Martha’s death has inspired.

“We hope that the conference will enable participants to assess how Northern Ireland is addressing the challenge of substance misuse and harm reduction and what future course we can take to make sure our work on the issue is as effective as possible.”

Chief Medical Office Dr Michael McBride said: “Harm reduction and prevention is at the very centre of what our substance misuse strategy is about. We will continue to develop and build on our harm reduction services at the same time as focusing on recovery in its broadest sense – supporting people on their journey to reduce their substance misuse-related harm.

“For me, harm reduction is about working with people to set goals that are achievable and realistic for them: for example, with alcohol misuse that can mean supporting people to abstinence, but it can also be supporting people to control their drinking – if they can’t or don’t want to stop drinking.”