On 12 November 2018, the Department of Health’s Drugs Policy Unit and the Health Research Board (HRB) hosted the first annual National Drugs Forum in the Aviva Stadium. The theme for the forum was Working better together by developing communities of practice. This event aimed to strengthen the capacity of existing communities of practice and to provide examples for collaborative working across the statutory, community, and voluntary sectors. 

The forum featured two keynote presentations from international experts. Dr Karen Minyard from Georgia Health Policy Center in Georgia State University spoke about the centre’s recent evidence review on dual diagnosis and described how communities of practices can be effective vehicles for transferring evidence into practical work. Professor Harry Sumnall of Liverpool John Moores University examined the evidence base for interventions in the prevention and social reintegration field. Both are internationally renowned scholars with vast experience in policy development and knowledge transfer.

There were also four workshops:

1    Supporting prevention work in the community.

2    Dual diagnosis: using partnership and peer support as resources in treatment.

3    The role of social reintegration in recovery.

4    Harm reduction services: engaging with people who use drugs

To see all Forum presentations click on this link