GMMH joins forces with The Loop to help keep clubbers safer
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) has joined forces with The Loop to offer training for clubs, bars and festivals to keep recreational drug users safer.
‘Responding to Drug Use in the Night Time Economy’ has been developed in partnership with GMMH and The Loop, which is a not for profit organisation providing drug safety testing and harm reduction services across the night time economy.
The one day training programme will give staff at clubs, bars and festivals a deeper understanding of the risks associated with recreational drug use. It has been awarded a Badge of Excellence by Open Awards.
Students will learn about appropriate ways of reducing drug related harm, the scope of current legislation and the effects and risks of drugs commonly found in the night time economy.
Tony Wilkinson, is a Team Manager within GMMH’s substance misuse services, who volunteers for The Loop, he said: “The Loop's experience, combined with our high standards of training delivery, will ensure this course will become an invaluable resource for the night time economy.”
The new partnership comes after a recent Care Quality Commission inspection rated GMMH’s substance misuse services as outstanding.
GMMH Director of Operations, Deborah Partington, said: “We are delighted to team up with The Loop, so we can offer this training to people working in bars, clubs and venues.
“This training is about reducing the harm caused by recreational drugs in the night time economy and equipping staff with the skills they need to keep people safe.
“The Loop has a fantastic track record of reducing harm in Greater Manchester, where they’ve worked successfully with Greater Manchester Police at the Parklife festival.
“We are excited by the potential this course has to reduce harm and educate the staff, who work at clubs and festivals, about the risks of recreational drug use.”
Fiona Measham, Director of The Loop, said: “The staff who work in clubs and festivals are at the front line of the problems caused by excessive consumption of intoxicants, sometimes of unknown strength and composition.
“This course, in a new partnership between the Loop and the NHS, will train event staff to identify problems and help equip them to reduce harm whilst promoting health and wellbeing in the night time economy.”
For more information about the course and to book on visit https://wearetheloop.org/training/ or follow The Loop on Twitter
