Working with service users /clients who misuse substances

Course Overview

This one-day training will develop health and social care worker’s knowledge and awareness of addiction and problematic substance use in service users. It will be of interest to all healthcare professionals, including students on any health programmes, drug workers, individuals involved in needle exchange and harm reduction services, commissioners, public health practitioners, community-based practitioners, pharmacists, mental health professionals working in inpatient and community setting with service users, and anyone with a special interest in substance misuse.

Course content

During the session, participants will learn about the problematic use of various substances (the most commonly misused alcohol and drug substances in the UK including the novel psychoactive substances (NPS), and will increase in confidence in their ability to carry out a brief assessment around substance use in their work settings.

By the end of the session, participants should be able to:

1. Distinguish between the groups of illicit drugs and alcohol, and increase awareness of patterns of use / misuse and signs and symptoms
2. Develop awareness of the impacts of substance use on physical and mental health and associated risks and complications that these can bring (e.g. Blood borne virus risks, IV use risks, increased STD risks)
3. Increase knowledge of the impact of substance misuse on the service user and their families and explore copying and alternative strategies
4. Increase confidence to assess and deliver evidence-based brief interventions to service users who misuse substances, including use of validated screening tools including risk assessment and signposting to local services
5. Develop awareness of the impacts of parental substance misuse on children as well as wider families

Learning and teaching

Study mode: Synchronous online delivery via virtual classroom using one of the following web-based learning and teaching platforms (e.g. MS teams, Kaltura NewRow, Adobe Connect, Zoom).  The content on the day will be delivered via a mixture of PowerPoint presentation, small group exercise and discussion, group feedback and recap/quiz.

Fees and funding

There are several funding options available:

• Receiving course fees via CPPD contracts between NHS trusts and Middlesex University
• Paying your fees. This course is £110
• Sponsorship by your employer.

For more information on these options, including fee rates for self-funding/employer-sponsored students, please visit our dedicated funding page.

How to apply

To apply for this course, please email our NHS study days team.

Download an enquiry form and for more information on the application process. Applications to this module should be made directly to the university, apply for a CPD module or programme.