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Experience and views of healthcare professionals towards people who use new psychoactive substances: evidence from statutory, non-statutory, and private mental health and addiction healthcare services

  • David Solomon
    ,
  • Jeffrey Grierson
    ,
  • Lauren Godier-McBard
    ,
  • Amira Guirguis
  • Anglia Ruskin University
    ,
  • Swansea University
Research Output:
Contribution to journal
Article
 Peer-review

Open access

Sustainable Development Goals

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
    SDG 3 Good Health and Well

Abstract

It is unclear how healthcare professionals (HCPs) experience and view the challenges of working with people who use New Psychoactive Substances (PWUNPS), in different healthcare services (HCS). The aim of the study was to explore HCPs' experiences of working with individuals who use NPS across statutory, non-statutory, and private mental health and addiction HCSs. HCPs completed in-depth semi-structured interviews. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim with a mean duration of 30 min 55 s. Data were analysed through thematic analysis. A purposive sample of 14 HCPs (6 men, 8 women) with a mean age of 42.5 years were interviewed in 2019. Organisational issues, including funding, impacted the treatment for PWUNPS and HCPs perceived a lack of support dependent on their qualifications. They reported a lack of assessment, policy, harm reduction, and awareness of NPS-related symptoms including mental health problems and stigma faced by PWUNPS. HCPs need better training, education, and assessment processes to manage acute NPS intoxications and address the stigma associated with PWUNPS. There is a need for policy-making opportunities across different HCSs to ensure better healthcare outcomes for PWUNPS.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output:
Contribution to journal
Article
 Peer-review

Original language

English

Article number

e2883

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Human Psychopharmacology (Volume 38, Issue 6)

Publication milestones

  • Accepted/In press - 29/09/2023
  • Published - 16/10/2023

Publication status

Published - 16/10/2023

ISSN

0885-6222

Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/626023
  • Scopus: 85174307387

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