Weekly news - 24th September 2010

NTA issues ‘free mapping’ tool to prison drug workers

The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse (NTA) has issued all prisons in England with a tool-kit to help health specialists provide vital talking therapies for inmates seeking to quit drugs. Download [NTA, UK]

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland: Annual Report 2009-2010

This is my first Annual Report as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons - Brigadier Hugh Monro, Her Majesty’s Inspector of Prisons in Scotland [Scottish Government, UK]

RCN launches new publication on prison mental health

The new publication, Prison mental health: vision and reality, was developed jointly with the Centre for Mental Health and Nacro, the crime reduction charity [RCN, UK]

‘Coordinate to save’ say new services for most vulnerable

Today a coalition of leading charities is announcing three local pilots that will coordinate existing services for vulnerable people, improve outcomes and deliver better value for money - Frequently Asked Questions [Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM), UK]

Pocket Guide for Social Workers on the subject of Alcohol and Other Drugs

Provides essential information on assessment and intervention of people with substance problems as well as useful links and practical do's and dont's [BASW, UK]

Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs: Consideration of the anabolic steroids

This ACMD report, released on 21 September 2010, considers the issue of anabolic steroid misuse. Also available are the annexes to the report, covering council members, additional expertise, pharmacology and chemistry, harmful effects and case studies. NDS press release [Home Office, UK]

Mental Health Courts: Feasibility study and process evaluation

The feasibility study assessed the possibility of evaluating the impact of the Mental Health Court pilot. The process evaluation assessed pilot implementation on best practice and areas for improvement - PDF report [Ministry of Justice, UK]

Monitoring poverty and social exclusion in Scotland 2010

The New Policy Institute has produced its 2010 edition of indicators of poverty and social exclusion in Scotland, providing a comprehensive analysis of trends and differences between groups. Summary - Full report [Joseph Rowntree Foundation, UK]

Party drug dependence higher among gay men, expert warns

Dr James Bell, head of the Party Drugs Clinic at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM), said the majority of his patients were young, well-educated, professional gay men [SLaM, UK]

Review confirms a role for heroin prescribing when methadone fails

For the first time an authoritative review has combined results from all the trials todate of long-term heroin prescribing for the management of heroin addiction. Its analyses reveal several significant or probably significant advantages for patients previously failed by methadone [Drug and Alcohol Findings, UK]

Pregnancy and complex social factors

A model for service provision for pregnant women with complex social factors. Section 1.2 Pregnant women who misuse substances (alcohol and/or drugs) [NICE, UK]

Consumption controversies

Alcohol policies in the UK [Royal Geographic Society, UK]

Results from the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health

Summary of National Findings [SAMHSA, USA]

Heroin maintenance for chronic heroin-dependent individuals

The available evidence suggests a small added value of heroin prescribed alongside flexible doses of methadone for long-term, treatment-refractory opioid users, considering a decrease in the use of street heroin and other illicit substances, and in the probability of being imprisoned; and an increase in retention in treatment - Intervention Review [Cochrane Library]