The ONS Deaths Related to Drug Poisoning in England and Wales: 2020 registrations was published earlier today (3 August 2021).
This is complicated data – showing deaths that were registered during a year and not when they happened but it does gives us year on year trends – and shows 3.8% more deaths were registered in 2020 in England and Wales than were in 2019 and sadly reporting the highest number of deaths – 4,561 people, since records began in 1993.
Deaths where cocaine featured rose by 9.7% between 2019 and 2020 and an increased proportion of deaths involved a benzodiazepines or the gabapentins – likely reflecting a real increase in web and street supplies which we have seen continue into 2021.
Two thirds of deaths reported in 2020 were due to drug misuse; with the highest numbers in our North East towns and a stark North/South divide.
In Bristol the ONS data shows a fall in deaths due to drug misuse – from 41 registered in 2019 to 38 in 2020 but when you look at other data in the report (age standardised mortality per 100,000 population) Bristol has a rate of 8.9 deaths compared with the England rate of 5 per 100,000. Here at BDP we are committed to widespread provision of Naloxone – with over 1,000 doses given out in 2020/21 – and with funding from the new ADDER programme will soon start providing the nasal form of Naloxone which is more likely to be carried.
Every death is one too many and the impact for those left behind hurts forever. Here at BDP we run a monthly support group for people who have lost a loved one to drugs or alcohol which has people from across and way beyond our region getting support: For more information about this telephone 0117 987 6000
Today marks World Hepatitis Day. World Hepatitis Day aims to bring awareness to hepatitis and to shine a light on the efforts being made to tackle hepatitis and other blood-borne viruses.
So what is hepatitis?
Hepatitis is a viral infection that affects the liver, causing it to swell and cause pain. There are 5 viruses that can cause viral hepatitis, but the two we generally see within our service users are hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis C is a treatable blood-borne virus that can have serious health implications. Hep C is by far the most common form of hepatitis that we see here at BDP. Like other hepatitis infections, hepatitis C causes swelling to the liver, which can lead to liver damage. Chronic infections can lead to potentially fatal conditions such as liver cancer, cirrhosis and liver failure. Infection often occurs with limited or no symptoms, so it is important to get regularly tested if you are in a high-risk group.
Hepatitis C is spread through contact with blood from an infected person. This includes sharing injecting equipment, sharing snorting tubes, sharing toothbrushes, scissors, razors, and unprotected sex. It is estimated that almost 90% of hepatitis C cases in the UK occur in people who inject drugs or have injected in the past.
Treatment of hepatitis C has moved along a lot from previous methods that had considerable adverse side effects. Hep C is now treated by a course of daily tablets that lasts 2 – 6 months.
Testing for hepatitis
Testing for hepatitis is straightforward and takes about five minutes. The most common testing method is by dry blood spot where a small sample of blood is collected from a finger. Your results will then be sent to you or provided to your BDP worker if you are already enrolled in one of our services. If positive, you will be contacted by hepatology to start treatment as soon as possible.
To get tested, please come to BDP’s Health and Harm Reduction Centre at 11 Brunswick Square, Bristol, BS2 8PE. Testing is completely free and confidential. For any questions around hepatitis and testing, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
For most of you, it’s been over a year since you last let loose on a dancefloor which means you might be a bit out of practice. After such a long break, it’s important to refresh on some of the harm reduction advice that might’ve been forgotten, especially with lowered drug tolerance and so much pent up excitement. Remember that harm reduction is about reducing risk, so your night out is one to remember (and doesn’t end at 9pm in a taxi home).
#startlowtakeitslow
There’s going to be a lot of pent up energy being released this summer, so please pace yourself! Alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and if you’re using other drugs, start with a test dose and wait at least an hour before redosing.
Avoid mixing
Combining drugs (including alcohol!) significantly increases the risks. Try to stick to one for the night. If you’re going to mix, check how different substances interact and use a lower dose of each drug than you usually would.
Look Out for Your Mates
It’s going to be hectic out there so keep an eye on each other. If someone looks like they’re having a shit time, find a quieter spot and check in with them. Tell each other what you’re taking and don’t pressure anyone to do anything they don’t want to.
Hydrate
Water is your friend, so make sure you drink enough of it – half a pint to a pint of water an hour is ideal. Go for the higher end of that scale if you’re dancing/hot and sweaty. Take a breather from the dancefloor now and then to give yourself a chance to cool down.
Plan your Journey Home
Make sure you and your mates can get home safe. If you’re making your way home alone, share your location with someone you trust so they can see when you get back. Don’t drive if you’ve used alcohol or other drugs.
Safe Sex
Alcohol and other drugs affect our judgement. Think about how this might be affecting your and your potential partner’s ability to consent to sex. Only proceed if you’re sure you’re both keen. Carry contraception and make sure you use it! You can pick up free condoms and lube from BDP. If it’s been a while since your last sexual health screening, you can order a home test kit.
Managing Emergencies
If you or your mates use drugs, it’s really important you know what to do in a drug-related emergency because it’s likely that if something goes wrong, you’ll be aware before security/a steward/a medical professional.
The Drop Team With clubs closed and festivals cancelled for the foreseeable future, it’s totally understandable that peopl…
Have you lost touch with playing music through your drug and alcohol use? Can you play an acoustic instrument?
BDP is excited to host 3 days of FREE summer music workshops for anyone affected by drug and alcohol problems who can play an acoustic instrument to beginners standard
Led by Jonathan James with support from musicians from Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Bristol Recovery Orchestra – the workshops will be based upon themes of re/connecting to community, recovery and creativity whilst living through a pandemic. Days 1 and 2 will be open workshops and day 3 will be for people who would like to take part in a filmed performance with Bournemouth Symphony players to showcase what we have created.
Our event will provide a space to reunite the recovery community post lockdown to Reconnect, Recharge and Recover through music-making. We will mark who and what has been lost through the pandemic and celebrate the importance of human connection for healthy and thriving communities.
BDP has run weekly music groups for the recovery community in Bristol since 2014. These sessions continued throughout the pandemic, where we ran the sessions both online and in-person, which has proven to be a lifeline for the attendees during a difficult time.
The details:
Reconnect Recharge Recover will take place on 15th – 17th of July and will be hosted at Redland Park URC, Whiteladies Road, Bristol, BS6 6SA. Booking for the event is essential due to limited spaces because of COVID restrictions. There will be a handful of instruments available for use on the day and lunch will also be provided.
Our Behind The Scenes series of webinars continues, this time focussing on the dissociative drug, ketamine.
Ketamine has a myriad of uses both in a medical and recreational setting. We will discuss the qualities of the drug that make it popular in these settings and discuss the harm reduction support available as well as how you can access services for yourself or for someone you may know.
What is Behind The Scenes?
Behind The Scenes is BDP’s monthly webinar series that invites you into our services and shines a light onto the how and why we do what we do.
Continuing our celebration of the time and effort that volunteers have contributed to our work here at BDP as part of this years Volunteers Week, we have Millie’s story of her experience with volunteering at BDP.
I started volunteering for BDP at the start of March 2021, having moved to Bristol in November. Before this, I studied Human Geography at the University of Leeds and completed a Master’s in Educational Psychology at the University of York.
I feel like I have learnt so much already, I’m so pleased with how much fantastic training I have had with the charity so far and all of the great people that I have been able to meet, even in the midst of a pandemic.
I have always loved working with people and helping others, so when I moved to Bristol I was keen to gain experience in this sector. I was impressed with the support offered by BDP and its excellent reputation across Bristol (every one I have spoken to about the charity has nothing but praise). I work part-time in a secondary school, supporting students with learning and mental health difficulties, and volunteer for BDP on Tuesday afternoons which works around my other commitments.
My experience at BDP so far has been really positive. Deb and Jasmine (BDP’s volunteer managers) welcomed us with open arms and facilitated some fantastic training. Our sessions started at the end of February during the peak of the national lockdown, so we all really appreciated having some in-person training and an opportunity to meet each other before continuing on Zoom. The training was so interesting, and it was clear how much effort Deb and Jasmine had put into the sessions to make them engaging and valuable. Whatever question came their way, they were able to answer it with brilliant insight. I was impressed at how in-depth the training was and I am excited to keep learning more throughout my time at BDP!
Since then, I have mainly been working on the helpline. Having watched Deb on this for my first two shifts, I was very apprehensive about flying solo. It seemed like all sorts of calls could come through and it is quite a large field to navigate with all of the different support that’s available across the city. However, my helpline shifts have gone much better than expected, most of the callers have been really appreciative for the support and others in the office have been very helpful during the more challenging calls. I am definitely building confidence on the helpline and learning more each time.
Aside from this, I have also shadowed a couple of triages with Sorcha and Jack, and I have been pleasantly surprised at how thorough they are. It has been an insight into how initial assessments are carried out, as I am interested in pursuing a psychology/mental health-related career in the future. More recently, I also attended the Wet Clinic with Jack, Rosa and a couple of other volunteers. I had never heard of this service before the training and I didn’t know what to expect, but I was really impressed at how welcoming the space was. It’s so important that people can seek medical (or other) support whilst having the option to drink alcohol. All of the professionals there were so lovely and helpful to both the service users and us as volunteers.
I feel like I have learnt so much already, I’m so pleased with how much fantastic training I have had with the charity so far and all of the great people that I have been able to meet, even in the midst of a pandemic. I am currently making my way through the Needle Exchange training, and in the past couple of weeks, I attended a session on Breaking Free Online and Psychedelic First Aid Training. I’m keen to get involved in as much as possible in the near future and I look forward to meeting everyone at the social in August! 😊
Thanks for your insight Millie! If you are interested in volunteering at BDP please check out our volunteering page here.
