Lloyd Mudiwa examines the outcomes from two winning projects at last year’s Irish Healthcare Awards, addressing our society’s unhealthy relationship with alcohol and how best to prevent and respond to drug overdoses among homeless people.

The RCPI’s Policy Group on Alcohol, chaired by the College President Prof Frank Murray, which has successfully raised awareness of the issue of alcohol misuse and brought together experts in this area to propose evidence-based recommendations for policy makers, was selected as ‘Best Public Health Initiative’ at the Irish Healthcare Awards 2014...

A research and education programme that sought to prevent and respond to overdose among homeless people, by Novas Initiatives, which fosters social inclusion, won in the ‘Best Patient Lifestyle Education’ category at the Irish Healthcare Awards 2014.....