News & events
Back to Drug Interventions Programme (DIP) E-bulletinsDIP E-bulletin - November 2008
Welcome to the November 2008 edition of the monthly e-bulletin for the Drug Interventions Programme.
Nipping it in the bud: new DIP factsheet on conditional cautioning
A new DIP factsheet on conditional cautioning has been published, explaining how use of the DIP condition in the police conditional cautioning process can help nip drug-related offending behaviour in the bud.
The factsheet is being made available to all police forces to encourage police custody staff to consider in appropriate cases where offenders have not yet fallen into a downward spiral of serious or persistent crime and drug misuse.
This is the second in a series of factsheets being produced to put the spotlight on key topics linked to the programme. The first factsheet, DIP – The positive impact, looked at the evidence demonstrating how the programme is making a real difference.
The next factsheet will focus on housing issues as part of the resettlement of DIP clients and is expected to be published in January.
‘Hi’ hopes for new drugs harm reduction website
A website designed to create an online community for drug users, their families and Drug Action Teams throughout the UK has been developed by a team from North Tyneside DAT and the local NHS Primary Care Trust. The official launch will be in January but the first version of the site is now up and running.
Hiwecanhelp.com (new window) has been created as an online national resource where people affected by drug abuse can find help and information and where front line staff can share resources and best practice.
It includes a video facility where visitors to the site can download and watch the 57 minute documentary, Treatment: The Works, which was produced for DIP clients by the central policy team at the Home Office. It has never previously been available online.
The website was developed by Roweena Russell, Harm Reduction Strategy Manager for North Tyneside DAT, who identified the need for an effective online support community.
She said, ‘The harm reduction model is at the centre of what Hi does, which is provide clear, up-to-date information to reduce the harms for people who use all types of drugs. The number of drug users receiving treatment has expanded from 85,000 in 1998 to 195,000 in 2006/07 and Hiwecanhelp.com has been created as a national hub to help tackle this growing problem.
‘It’s a place where Drug Action Teams can pool knowledge and where frontline staff, drug users and their families can join a nationwide debate about how we improve treatment and reduce the number of people turning to drugs in the first place. It’s a ‘cyber collective’ that provides a space to share information, ideas and best practice.’
As well as online discussion forums and contacts database, the site includes a host of resources for drug action teams including:
- relapse prevention tools and information
- training materials
- health promotion activities
- recipes to aid diet and nutrition
- referral forms
- drug treatment information and waiting time for treatment
- Hepatitis C and testing treatment
- current Pathway documents
- protocols and strategies
The government has made substantial investment in drug treatment with most of it distributed directly to Drug Action Teams and Roweena says that the web project aims to help pool this investment in knowledge and expertise at a local level.
For more information visit Hiwecanhelp.com (new window) or contact Roweena Russell on 0191 643 6437 or email Roweena.Russell@northtyneside.gov.uk
Final call for DIP success stories
Time is running out to submit case studies for an updated set of DIP success stories.
This is a refresh of a document first produced earlier this year and charting the turnaround in the lives of a number of DIP clients around the country. If you have any case stories for inclusion, please e-mail gillian.radcliffe@coi.gsi.gov.uk for a form to submit the details.
The deadline for this edition is 30 November and the document will be published by the end of the year.
The current edition of the DIP Success Stories is available online.
Link to latest Key Messages
The latest Key Messages for DIP provide a core script to describe the various elements of the programme and the key points that should be understood about them. This can be a useful resource when preparing reports, briefings and other publications about DIP and it is reviewed and updated every two months. The October/November edition is now available.
