news and resources

The Blue Light Project is an initiative developed by Alcohol Change UK to develop alternative approaches for people who have an enduring pattern of problematic alcohol use and are frequently in contact with Blue Light services and do not engage with traditional services. These are often people with some of the most severe needs and the greatest impact on local services. With its emphasis on person-centred holistic care, assertive outreach, and a systemic approach to supportin

The Hackney Harm Reduction Hub (HHRB) is a peer-based harm reduction initiative based in the London Borough of Hackney. The Hub was developed with the main aim of reaching people who inject drugs and who do not engage with any drug services. The Hub engages over a thousand people a year, distributing naloxone, harm reduction equipment and life-saving advice through a team of hard-working volunteers. In this video, you’ll meet the people who bring the Hub to life, sharing thei

Gambling-related harm can affect anyone. For some people, gambling can begin as something that feels social or manageable, but over time it can become increasingly difficult to control. Harms can build quietly, impacting mental health, relationships, finances, and a person’s sense of stability. Download the full case study This blog is based on the NHS APA case study Gambling: Harms to Hope, featuring Becky Harris and the National Gambling Clinic at CNWL. Download it below to

Stigma Kills. For people living with both mental health challenges and substance use, stigma and fragmented services can make it difficult for people to access - and trust - support. Too often, people are passed from team to team, asked to retell painful histories, or excluded from mental health care because of their substance use. When primary care, mental health services and substance use teams work together, people are offered more than a pathway to treatment -  they are

When individuals experience both mental health and addiction or substance use needs, the need for joined-up, compassionate care becomes critical. Too often, co-occurring conditions fall between the gaps of services that are designed to handle one issue or the other, but not both.

Behind every story of addiction is a person; a parent, a friend, a neighbour, who has faced challenges while experiencing addiction. Co-occurring conditions often intertwine in ways that make recovery more complex, as Tammy’s story shows.

This presentation explores what stigma is and how it affects different groups across society. Speakers will share insights from the 'See Beyond – See the Lives – Scotland' anti-stigma campaign, which they have led since 2019, highlighting its aims, impact, and key learnings. The session will also consider the role of the media in shaping stigma and showcase related initiatives that contribute to wider understanding and change in this field.

Welcome to the seventh session of the NHS APA Virtual Conference 2025. This panel brings together experts working across alcohol harms, gambling harms, and co-occurring conditions to explore how stigma prevents people from getting the support they need. Building on this, the discussion will consider what it means for professionals, services, and communities to act as a bridge to understanding and care.

Welcome to the sixth session of the NHS APA Virtual Conference 2025. In this session, Dr Ermione Neophytou and Dr Kelly Charge will present on the topic: Rewriting the Story – Working with Children and Young People Who Use Substances.

Welcome to the 5th session of the NHS APA Virtual Conference 2025 titled: Stigma Indicators and Trial of a Universal Approach to Stigma Reduction. The session will be presented by Carla Treloar and Dr Elena Cama from the Centre for Social Research in Health at UNSW Sydney. This session explores pioneering work in measuring and addressing stigma across HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmissible infections, and introduces a groundbreaking “universal precautions” app

The NHS Addictions Provider Alliance spoke with Martin Smith, Recovery Lead at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust , about a study exploring the link between body mass index (BMI) and mortality among people using drugs. Contrary to common assumptions, the research found that the majority of overdose deaths occurred in people with a high BMI, often alongside co-morbidities such as COPD, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, and sleep apnoea. Low BMI was more

A new case study from the Breathe Stop Smoking Service , delivered by Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust  across Camden and Islington, shows what’s possible when services are designed around people’s real lives. Breathe offers a flexible, three-tiered model of support, from light-touch digital guidance to intensive one-to-one behavioural support, shaped by a simple but powerful ethos: your support, your way . This approach recognises that people’s needs, conf

In this session, we heard from Navi Dhesi, Founder of No More Pretending. Navi explored how stigma can be shaped by culture, community expectations and silence, and how this can affect whether people feel able to speak openly, seek support or be understood.

This session was hosted by Mark Prest. Watch on demand as he discusses 'The Power of Visual Arts in Recovery'.

The publication of the Co-occurring mental health and substance use delivery framework  comes at a critical moment. Drug, alcohol and mental health needs are far more likely to co-occur than exist in isolation. Between 2024 and 2025, 74% of people starting drug and alcohol treatment were identified as having a mental health treatment need, and over a third of people with serious mental health needs also experience co-existing drug or alcohol conditions. Too often, people are

The NHS Addictions Providers Alliance has shared a statement in response to OHID's latest national statistics on numbers of people in treatment for drug and alcohol use . "The latest statistics on numbers of people in treatment for drug and alcohol use demonstrates some progress has been made to meet the challenge set down by Dame Carol Black in 2021 to transform the treatment and recovery system. The bottom line is that treatment is a protective factor for people who need he

Welcome to Session 1 of the NHS Addictions Provider Alliance Virtual Conference 2025.

Thank you to everyone who attended and took part in the NHS APA Virtual Conference 202 5 , 'Breaking Barriers: How stigma undermines support and connection - and what we can do about it'. All of the conference sessions are now available to watch on demand via the links below. Session 1: Keynote Mel Ball, Director for Lived Experience (MPFT), Darren Murinas, CEO at Expert Citizens and Ben Parker, Advanced Lived Experience Practitioner within the Addictions Directorate (CNWL).

The NHS APA began in 2016 as a meeting of peers in NHS organisations throughout England who were commissioned to deliver drug and/or alcohol treatment and support services in the community, in inpatient settings, or in prisons. The APA’s membership widened over time to include NHS organisations providing treatment and support for gambling harms. In 2025, we have widened our membership offer again, recognising that all NHS organisations – regardless of whether they are direct

Here’s your at-a-glance round-up of the fantastic line-up of speakers joining us at this year’s NHS APA Conference 2025. Mel Ball , Director for Lived Experience at the Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust (MPFT), is our morning keynote speaker. Mel Ball started her career within therapeutic communities as a peer worker. She's gone on to work in a diverse series of services across CAMHS, adult inpatient units, and high security services. Her experience spans voluntary and co