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Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · Sep 5

I'm pleased we're setting up this network to share challenges and opportunities to improve support for people who use #ketamine. Please do check out the blog and think about signing up for the event - 14 October 2pm-3.30pm.

Collective Voice @collective-voice.bsky.social · Sep 5

Collective Voice is building a network of people looking to improve support for people who use #ketamine. Please take a look at our blog & sign up for our event. We'll talk prevention & harm reduction, urology, residential & detox and more
www.collectivevoice.org.uk/events/colle...
#drugs #addiction

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Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · Aug 15

In this instance, deaths linked to fentanyl seems to be due to contamination with bacteria, not the drug itself.

Le Parisien @leparisien.fr · Aug 15

Cinq lots contaminés de fentanyl médical auraient été distribués dans huit hôpitaux et centres de santé en Argentine, provoquant la mort d’au moins 100 patients

➡️ https://l.leparisien.fr/TGaP

Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · Aug 5

"Inside Health" on drug deaths: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
"Understand" discussing psychedelics: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...

Inside Health - Can we reverse rising drug deaths? - BBC Sounds

We try to figure out why drug deaths are at an all-time high - and what can be done.

www.bbc.co.uk

Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · Aug 5

Two interesting pieces related to #drugs / #addiction on BBC Radio 4 this week. I thought we'd included them in last week's newsletter, but apparently not! A discussion of drug-related deaths on Inside Health, and a whole series running this week on #psychedelics and their therapeutic potential.

Inside Health - Can we reverse rising drug deaths? - BBC Sounds

We try to figure out why drug deaths are at an all-time high - and what can be done.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Reposted by Will Haydock

Collective Voice @collective-voice.bsky.social · Jul 11

This year #AlcoholAwarenessWeek is focusing on #alcohol and the workplace. Kayleigh Gamblin, National Employment Lead at WithYou, provides a perspective on the role of work in recovery from alcohol issues. www.collectivevoice.org.uk/news/work-as...

Work as recovery: Supporting employment during Alcohol Awareness Week - Collective Voice

This Alcohol Awareness Week, WithYou is calling on employers and policymakers to recognise work as a recovery tool, which can change the lives of people across the UK. Kayleigh Gamblin, National Emplo...

www.collectivevoice.org.uk

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Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · Jul 7

One of the solutions proposed is to create a professional register - because, as Bridget Phillipson put it, these staff are professionals. Should we be saying the same of specialist drug / alcohol / recovery workers? Is the government's workforce strategy sufficient? 3/3

Black text on a white background reading:
Improving conditions and career pathways: To raise the status of the profession we will work in partnership with the sector to co-design and introduce a new professional register designed to raise the value of the profession, promote continuing professional development and give early educators the recognition they deserve. We will work closely with the sector to establish an evidence-informed career framework to support career progression at all levels, linked to a simpler qualification offer. We are continuing to invest in funding rates to enable providers to recruit and retain great staff, and through the Employment Rights Bill, the Government is delivering the biggest upgrade in employment rights in a generation.

We are also exploring how steps to increase flexible working and reduce workloads in schools could be applied in early years settings.

Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · Jul 7

You could apply much of this diagnosis to our field. 2/3

Black text on a white background reading: Supporting and growing a skilled early years workforce
A strong early years workforce is the foundation of high-quality care and education. But too often, early years staff feel overworked, overlooked and undervalued. Men are especially underrepresented in the workforce. We want early years to be a career people are proud to start and rewarding to pursue. We will work with the sector to understand and address specific barriers to recruitment and retention and take action to create more opportunities to enter the profession, gain relevant qualifications and build fulfilling careers. We are also improving working conditions and investing in leadership to ensure staff feel valued and supported throughout their career journey.

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Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · Jul 7

Interesting to see this strategy for early years education today and think of parallels with the #drugs & #alcohol world, particularly the commitments on workforce, notably creating a professional register. 1/3
www.gov.uk/government/p...

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Reposted by Will Haydock

Collective Voice @collective-voice.bsky.social · Jul 3

Collective Voice has responded to the Government's 10-year #health plan. The ideas & principles are welcome, but if they're going to deliver on their ambitions they will need to work closely with #charities & have more of a focus on #alcohol & other #drugs
www.collectivevoice.org.uk/comment/coll...

Collective Voice responds to the 10-year health plan - Collective Voice

When the plan trumpets ‘a devolved and diverse NHS’, I wonder if it should really be saying ‘ a devolved and diverse health system’ Read the Government’s plan Positive principles, but health is about ...

www.collectivevoice.org.uk

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Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · Jun 25

We should be raising awareness of the risks in using ketamine & thinking about how to reduce harm. But "Children as young as 12 are becoming addicted to ketamine, opting to buy the horse tranquilliser over a packet of crisps"?! Does that language support a serious debate? www.itv.com/news/2025-06...

Ketamine ‘overwhelming’ authorities as teens dealing and taking Class B drug | ITV News

ITV News has spoken to frontline services across Cheshire who are calling for more awareness with warnings over the long-term damage of ketamine use. | ITV National News

www.itv.com

Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · Jun 19

This new report from @ias.org.uk and @shaapalcohol.bsky.social is worth a look. I'm not anti-alcohol or opposed to the industry, but we need an open, honest debate about policy. Some of these moves by the #alcohol industry look at best disingenuous, which is really disappointing.

Institute of Alcohol Studies @ias.org.uk · Jun 19

📢 New report: UK alcohol industry groups spent 2024 misleading the public on harm, the economy, environment, and policy.

We analysed 140+ industry documents and found a strategy of cherry-picking evidence, overstating economic value, and downplaying health harms.

➡️ www.ias.org.uk/report/spin-...

Spin the bottle: How the UK alcohol industry twists the facts on harm and responsibility - Institute of Alcohol Studies

Executive summary Alcohol deaths are at an all-time high in the UK, yet current policy is unable to tackle this crisis. The alcohol industry’s influence has been recognised as a key barrier to address...

www.ias.org.uk

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Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · Jun 18

This is definitely worth a listen for those with an interest in substance use issues. Richard Coles talks about loving someone who's struggling with their drinking & going to Al-Anon, as well as his own substance use. #alcohol #drugs www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Rylan: How to Be... - How to Be in Love - Richard Coles: On losing the love of his life and casual roadside encounters - BBC Sounds

Rylan speaks to Richard Coles about how he healed from grief to find love once again.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · Jun 18

Re-sharing this as I hope it's useful to raise awareness of the treatment that's out there for people facing issues with #alcohol. I know it's not the perfect intro, but I think we don't do enough of this for wider audiences. Do listen, share & comment - how can we communicate better & more widely?

Institute of Alcohol Studies @ias.org.uk · Jun 17

"In some ways - because so many people drink alcohol - perceiving yourself to have a problem feels arguably more unusual than with another drug."

🎙️Dr @williamhaydock.bsky.social of @collective-voice.bsky.social discusses alcohol treatment on our latest podcast 🎧

Links: ias.org.uk/podcast/12327/

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Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · Jun 17

The online abuse that Katie Boulter has received, as described in this piece, is outrageous.

I was surprised, though, by the clear link made to #gambling / #betting, with the BBC paraphrasing the research: "angry gamblers sent 40% of all detected abuse".

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis...

Katie Boulter: British tennis player reveals social media abuse she has received

Britain's Katie Boulter speaks exclusively to BBC Sport about the levels of social media abuse she receives.

www.bbc.co.uk

Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · Jun 9

This is a surprisingly good piece on substance use, specifically ketamine. Lots of detail, and quite thoughtful. (Via @drugwise.bsky.social)

www.newstatesman.com/politics/hea...

How Britain fell into the K-hole

Silicon Valley’s favourite drug is also the UK’s.

www.newstatesman.com

Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · Jun 2

My only real concern was the language, with people being referred to as addicts when it wasn't clear they'd describe themselves that way. 3/3

Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · Jun 2

It describes the emergence of a synthetic cathinone known as Bloom, and there's interesting points about the particular context of Madeira as an island affecting the availability of different drugs. Definitely good for thought as we try to plan for an uncertain future in the UK. 2/3

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Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · Jun 2

I caught this programme yesterday on Radio 4. It's unusual to have such a detailed and extensive discussion of problems related to #drugs on a major radio network. 1/3

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Currently - Madeira's Drugs Crisis - BBC Sounds

Madeira has a chronic drug problem the authorities are struggling to cope with.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · May 30

Just to clarify on one point, I support the introduction of an #alcohol strategy; it's one of Collective Voice's key asks of Government. The discussion here was about (a) how we get substance use taken seriously in Government & (b) making sure treatment isn't lost in wider alcohol policy discussions

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Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · May 30

It was fun to record this discussion of what #alcohol treatment is & how it's organised & funded. Inevitably there were loads of things we didn't get time to cover properly. It'd be good to cover topics including quality & accessibility of treatment, diversity & inclusion, sustainability of funding.

Institute of Alcohol Studies @ias.org.uk · May 30

Listen to our latest podcast, where @williamhaydock.bsky.social of @collective-voice.bsky.social discusses the alcohol treatment system in England, incl:

💊Accessibility to free treatment
💷How it's commissioned
⚕️What the Health & Social Care Act changed
➡️Drug Strategy

www.ias.org.uk/podcast/12327/

An introduction to England's alcohol treatment system - Institute of Alcohol Studies

In our latest podcast Dr Will Haydock, Executive Director of Collective Voice, sheds light on alcohol treatment services in England. Representing an alliance of charities supporting people with alcoho...

www.ias.org.uk

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Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · May 29

De-siloing substance misuse and self-harm research through integrated public health and emergency medicine - The Lancet Public Health www.thelancet.com/journals/lan... via @lisaangelica.bsky.social

De-siloing substance misuse and self-harm research through integrated public health and emergency medicine

Acute and chronic problems related to alcohol, drugs, and self-harm are important public health challenges and are compounded by socioeconomic inequalities. People with substance use disorders or ment...

www.thelancet.com

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Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · May 27

I'm still on holiday visiting Lyme Regis museum, but there's no escaping #alcohol & #temperance history!

Photo of a coin with the inscription "Band of Hope Pledge: I do agree that I will not use intoxicating liquors as a beverage" and piece of paper reading: "Band of Hope Medallion, given to children who signed the pledge not to drink alcohol. Early 20th century, given by Felicity Cox 2018/39"

Reposted by Will Haydock

Cassia Rowland @cassiarowland.bsky.social · May 22

Gauke's sentencing review report is finally out! Full assessment will come after gov announces its response, but some initial thoughts here. Overall: lot of sensible proposals, likely to be some big implementation challenges, and a few risks 🧵

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Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · May 22

It's been interesting to read the final report of the Independent Sentencing Review today, discuss with colleagues & see other people comment. You can read some of my thoughts below. I have quite mixed feelings: some sensible diagnosis but some out of date; some sensible proposals but others odd.

Collective Voice @collective-voice.bsky.social · May 22

Today saw the publication of the Independent Sentencing Review, as well as the Government's response.

Our Director, Will Haydock, sees lots to welcome, but notes that while the review calls for additional investment to deliver on its ambitions, the Government hasn't yet committed to this. 1/2

Will Haydock @williamhaydock.bsky.social · May 21

It was nice to dust off my old academic persona and write this for @ias.org.uk about how we often misunderstand people's #alcohol drinking behaviour & how we can engage with the reality and make good policy by learning from #harmreduction in the world of #drugs. Comments & engagement very welcome!

Institute of Alcohol Studies @ias.org.uk · May 21

Drinking for many is about escape, uncertainty, even discomfort – not control or rationality.

Our policies often miss that completely.

In our latest blog, Dr @williamhaydock.bsky.social argues for a harm reduction approach that recognises what people actually want.

www.ias.org.uk/2025/05/21/h...

Harm reduction as a rational response to irrational drinking - Institute of Alcohol Studies

Dr Haydock argues that alcohol policy should reflect the complex, often irrational motivations behind drinking, especially in social and nightlife contexts. By adopting a harm reduction approach, poli...

www.ias.org.uk

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