Research to guide post-Covid drug misuse strategy
13 May, 2021
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RESEARCH into the impact of COVID-19 on people with substance misuse problems, and the services that support them, is being used to guide a post-pandemic support strategy.
To ensure that lessons are learned from the pandemic, a collaborative research project was undertaken by a partnership of staff and peer workers from the University of South Wales (USW) and support charities Barod and Kaleidoscope, with assistance from Welsh Government and Developing a Caring Wales (DACW).
The research looked at the experiences and challenges faced by service users, frontline staff, and senior managers/decision-makers during the lockdown period, with three reports published as a result:
The findings from the research have influenced Welsh Government strategy, and have been mentioned in its refreshed Covid 19 Substance Misuse Delivery Plan 2019-2022. All services involved in substance misuse support will be guided by the findings.
According to the Action Plan, the Welsh Government will: “Ensure service user feedback is taken on board by taking into account the findings of the Peer Led – COVID-19 Impact Study and continue carrying out service user research in relation to treatment and support during COVID-19, which in turn will influence future practice in meeting needs.”
Professor Katy Holloway, Professor of Criminology at USW, who was part of the team that undertook the research, said the experiences gained during the project will help in future studies.
“Peer involvement, which drew on the views of those with lived experience of these issues, was vitally important in the success of this importance project, and will be help guide further drug and alcohol-related research,” Prof Holloway said.
“Another key benefit has been the strengthening of partnerships – such as those between academics, policymakers, service users, senior managers, and frontline staff - and recognition of the importance of working together to optimise services and ultimately reduce harms.”
A webinar has been produced, through which the findings from each strand of the research are presented by those with lived experience of coping with substance misuse problems during the pandemic, as well as from those working to help support them.