Dear Colleagues

Just to let you know: The 2nd National Conference on Drug-Related Deaths will be held at the Lowry Hotel in Manchester on 15 November 2006. The conference is organised by the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

Reducing drug-related deaths (DRDs) remains a key issue for all services. This one-day conference will explore the causes, impacts and ways to reduce DRDs. Themes include confidential inquiries, policy and practice issues around tackling drug-related deaths, the provision of Naloxone for users, blood-borne viruses, Cocaine-related deaths, overdose prevention, the role of prisons in reducing DRDs. There will also be a debate on what impact an increased emphasis on abstinence services have on DRDs.

The conference will provide an opportunity for cross-sector networking and for professionals to share knowledge on decreasing DRDs. Representatives from medical, policing and care services, as well as coroners, directors of public health, researchers and service users will participate.

Speakers will include:
Dr Emyr Benbow, Senior Lecturer and Consultant Pathologist, Kevin Flemen, trainer, consultant and activist, Dr Stefan Janikiewicz, Clinical Director or the Wirral and Chester Drug and Alcohol Units, Dr Ruth Hussey OBE, Director of Public Health, Liverpool HA, Dr David Best, head of research at the PCA, Dr Caryl Beynon, Research Manager in Drug Use, Centre for Public Health, Liverpool JM University, Dr Roy Palmer, Dr Chris Ford, Dr Gordon R. Morse.

Please contact me on email:info@gmas.nhs.uk or telephone: 01204 492419 if you require further details.

Best wishes

Salman Desai

I went to this last year and can heartily recommend it. The research stuff is fascinating. V good networking, as a result of which after much painstaking negotiation with coroner's office we now have our very own DRD investigation procedure. i am supportiing a colleague to go this year, and so hadn't intended to go myself but now i read the programme, might have to change my mind, and find a secondary source of funding!

I intend on going to this as it does look very interesting and they have been kind enough to offer me a discounted s/u place.
I will be paying for myself as funding seems to be non existent at present but this as i have said before is a better way to spend money i haven't got than on my past preferences/drive(s).
Really looking fwd to it. You may get chance to Say hello this time Susi and Judith, if you are both going.
Best
Tony B