1. Co-ordinating action on drug issues Service User Perspectives The New Abstentionists,Drug Treatment – The Great Debate Thursday 3 rd April 2008 The Scottish Parliament Katrina Dornan,Jason Wallace and Gordon Wilson

2. Co-ordinating action on drug issues SDF User Involvement (UI) National UI Research Review of the role of methadone in the treatment of drug problems (2006) Aftercare Research (2008) Glasgow UI Research Poverty Study (2006) Hepatitis C Managed Care Network Patient Pathway Evaluation (2008)

3. Co-ordinating action on drug issues Abstinence is good? Gain stability Lead to improved relationships including improved ability to care for dependent children Improve financial position Move on to training,education and employment Gain/regain self-respect

4. Co-ordinating action on drug issues Drug- Free treatment completion equals success? “ You need to feel like it’s you making the choices rather than (feeling) it is being made for you? You do need to feel….part of the choices made throughout your life”

5. Co-ordinating action on drug issues Even methadone patients want to be abstinent? “ You are kind of in the middle still and it is hard,it is like being the new boy at school…..” “It is finding the wee niche you belong in now because you are not a user so you are not part of their group but you are not clean yet so you are not kind of part of their group…”

6. Co-ordinating action on drug issues 3% drug –free in Scotland,25% in England? When does recovery end ? Misleading figures

7. Co-ordinating action on drug issues Divert to residential rehabilitation? Help with housing benefit and council tax arrears Money/finance advice and information Accessing volunteer work Accessing education/training Accessing furniture projects

8. Co-ordinating action on drug issues Maintenance is incompatible with a truly productive life? Choice Flexibility Stigma “Parked on Methadone”

9. Co-ordinating action on drug issues At least society benefits from reduced crime? Communities blighted by drug use Residents living in no-go areas People committing crime to receive treatment

10. Co-ordinating action on drug issues Surely things are better now? More needle exchanges Naloxone Pilots More services UI groups Wider choice of treatment options DTTOs

11. Co-ordinating action on drug issues Can we change? Stop stigmatising drug users Individual needs Person centred