Emily Edwards, treatment manager for Safer South Gloucestershire, which is sponsoring the conference session, said: “We are delighted that the DHI, our main provider for drug and alcohol services in South Gloucestershire is leading the way in innovative practice that reaches out to the most vulnerable drug users in rural areas.
“The fact that this presentation was chosen among the many submitted demonstrates a real national interest in this project.”
The conference will be held on Monday 15 and Tuesday 16 October at the Glasgow Radisson Hotel, and features films, workshops and presentations designed to inform practice, disseminate research, explore policy and develop skills for those working in this field.
Jody Clark is the proactive outreach worker for the DHI in Warmley, and he is due to present the session ‘Dial a needle – meeting the needs of rural injecting drug users’ at the conference.
He said: “DHI outreach workers identified that there were many injecting drugs users who were struggling to gain access to sufficient supplies of sterile needles and as a result a pilot mobile needle exchange service started in March 2007, with a strong emphasis on delivery to people's using environments.
“This workshop will explore the lessons learnt from this pilot and discuss how best to face the challenges services encounter in providing an accessible needle exchange in a rural setting.”
ENDS