The Partnership is responsible for the commissioning of interventions for drug users and their families and carers across Nottingham City. Their aim is that individuals who use drugs are able to live healthier, longer lives by being empowered to make decisions and access interventions that will have a positive effect on their health and well-being.

Harm reduction is integral to drug treatment within Nottingham City and services are commissioned to respond to all of an individual’s needs, regardless of where they access drug treatment. Harm reduction is defined as policies and interventions for the reduction of health related harms to individuals, their children and families, and as aviable public health objective.

The CDP have recently launched the Nottingham City Harm Reduction Strategy 2008-11 and a new overdose response training film, produced in conjunction with service users and students of the Nottingham Trent University media department by The Health Shop.

While the strategy recognises the increased risk of health harm attached to injecting drugs, the strategic priorities and recommendations relate to the full spectrum of drug use (including class B and C and non injecting drug use). The action plans underpinning the strategy prioritise actions which address the biggest harm and health risks. The scope of the strategy focuses on reducing or eliminating the health related harms of drug use, including (but not limited to):

• Blood-Borne Viruses
• Drug Related Deaths
• Injecting behaviours, wounds and infections
• General Healthcare
• Co-morbidity such as poly-drug and alcohol use, and mental health dual diagnosis

The overarching strategic aims for harm reduction is to:

• Implement and monitor a range of interventions and policies to keep drug users and their children and families as healthy as possible while they choose to continue using drug
• Manage any wider public health risks that are associated with illicit drug use, and
• To strengthen partnership working around the harm reduction agenda

Click here to download the Nottingham City Harm Reduction Strategy 2008-2011 document.

The strategy is also available in paper format, please Contact us if you would like a copy sent to you.