Primary concern

Mental Health Nursing,  Mar 2006  

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Primary concern Substance misuse in primary care Rosie Wmyard (ed) (2005) Radcliffe Publishing ISBN: 1 857756576 Paperback, 208 pages £21.95

The scale of the impact of substance misuse on the population is enormous - the estimated cost of alcohol misuse is £20 billion per annum and that of drug misuse between £100 -18 billion.

The harms to individuals and society include: adverse effects on health; increased criminal and anti-social behaviour; loss of productivity and profitability; and negative impacts on family functioning.

The only agency in existing UK systems that has lifelong opportunities for dealing with these problems is primary care. However, there is evidence that this sector is struggling to meet the increasing demands placed on them by consequences of substance misuse within a context of changing, complex and contradictory government initiatives.

This edited book aims to provide a multi-disciplinary perspective of work with people who have substance misuse problems for those working in primary care.

The reader is invited to 'listen in to consultations' as they work through the book and to reflect on their own practice in relation to substance misuse issues.

The 12 chapters examine: the policy context for substance misuse services; addiction nursing in shared care; the partnership between users and practitioners in substance misuse; treatment and relapse prevention in relation to crack cocaine; the role of the practice counsellor; issues in the treatment of homeless drug users; dual diagnosis, nursing and primary care; and future directions in primary care.

The value of the book is its attempt to share the knowledge, skills and attitudes of practitioners working with people with substance misuse problems in the primary care setting. The special sections on crack cocaine, alcohol problems, dual diagnosis, homelessness and user involvement are of particular interest.

I found that the chapters did not link as seamlessly as the editor of the book had perhaps hoped, but despite this, I think the book makes an important contribution to the literature on substance misuse in primary care.

Copyright Community Psychiatric Nurses Association Mar 2006
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