Cynulliad Cenedlaethol
Cymru
Y Pwyllgor
Iechyd a Gofal Cymdeithasol
Ymchwiliad i
sylweddau seicoweithredol newydd (“cyffuriau penfeddwol
cyfreithlon”)
Tystiolaeth gan Iechyd
Cyhoeddus Cymru – LH AI 08
4th
December 2014
Submission to
the National Assembly for Wales’ Health and Social Care
Committee : Inquiry into New Psychoactive Substances
Additional
information on ‘How Public Health Wales engages and
communicates with communities in Wales about New Psychoactive
Substances (NPSs)’
In addition to the
WEDINOS project, Public Health Wales engages and communicates with
communities in Wales in relation to NPS both directly and
indirectly via a number of interventions and resources. These
include:
-
Active engagement via presentations and updates
with NPS forums and service users groups including the All Wales
Service User Movement (AWSUM) as well as concerned and interested
members of the wider community, e.g. at adult learning centres as
part an educational programme
-
Regular training sessions on NPS to a range of
specialists, clinicians and service providers including criminal
justice, housing, education, youth services, prison healthcare,
primary care, ambulance and emergency services and substance misuse
services
-
On-going development of an e-module on NPS
accessible for all interested parties via the NHS e-learning
portal
-
Inclusion of a range of specific NPS on the Harm
Reduction Database Wales – to effectively capture the scale
and nature of NPS use in Wales and to ensure that those using, or
considering use of NPS, are provided with accurate and appropriate
harm reduction advice in a range of services including community
pharmacy services
-
Contribution of information and advice to the
DAN24/7 website on NPS and potential harms associated with
use. This service is free and bilingual and provides a
single point of contact for anyone in Wales wanting further
information or help relating to drugs or alcohol
-
Publication of a quarterly bulletin
‘PHILTRE’ on NPS which is available to all interested
parties via the WEDINOS website
-
Use of social media tools including Twitter and
email contact details for engagement and effective communication
with the general population as well as NPS specialists.
Over the next year, Public Health is planning work
to better understand important issues around:
-
The availability and sources of NPS in
Wales
-
Initiation to use
-
Awareness of harms associated with NPS and other
drugs and alcohol on physical and mental health;
-
Impact of use on individuals, their families and
carers and the wider community.
This work will inform interventions designed to
prevent initiation of use of NPS.