A new generation of frontline specialists trained to reduce drug-related harm has graduated in Glasgow, as a pioneering NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde programme continues to expand. The latest cohort has completed an intensive two-week training programme, equipping them with the skills to deliver life-saving interventions across communities.
The eighth graduation ceremony took place at the Glasgow Alcohol and Drug Crisis Service, marking the completion of the Advanced Harm Reduction Workers Training Programme (AHRWTP).
Designed to build the knowledge, confidence and practical skills of frontline staff, the programme plays a vital role in supporting harm reduction services and strengthening the workforce behind initiatives such as WAND, which deliver thousands of interventions each year to people most at risk.
Building a skilled workforce to save lives
Participants in the programme represent a diverse mix of professionals and people with lived experience from organisations including Turning Point Scotland, Simon Community Scotland, Hillcrest Futures and HARRT.
Delivered in partnership with specialist services and clinical teams, the course brings together expertise from across the system to ensure staff are equipped to respond to the increasingly complex challenges associated with drug use.
Over 12 structured sessions, participants build skills in areas including safer injecting, overdose prevention, blood-borne virus awareness, wound care and structured risk assessment, ensuring they can deliver high-quality, evidence-based support on the frontline.
Evaluation of previous cohorts shows the programme has a significant impact, with participants reporting marked improvements in knowledge, confidence and readiness to apply their learning in practice.
Supporting a programme making a real difference
Graduates of the programme play a key role in delivering the WAND initiative – one of the largest coordinated harm reduction programmes across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
WAND was developed to reduce some of the most serious risks associated with drug use, including drug-related deaths, blood-borne virus transmission and injecting-related complications.
The initiative provides structured interventions such as wound care, overdose response, naloxone distribution and blood-borne virus testing, helping people stay safer while also connecting them with wider services and support.
In the most recent reporting period, more than 1,500 WAND assessments were delivered to over 850 individuals, demonstrating strong engagement with some of the most at-risk populations.
Alongside this, NHSGGC operates one of the largest Injecting Equipment Provision (IEP) programmes in Europe, with over 100 active outlets providing essential equipment and support to people across the region.
Emerging data highlights increasingly complex patterns of drug use, including higher frequency injecting and growing levels of cocaine use, underlining the importance of maintaining a highly skilled and responsive workforce.
A powerful moment of lived experience
This year’s graduation also included a particularly powerful moment, with certificates presented by a VIP guest with lived experience of the WAND programme.
Their involvement highlighted the real-life impact of harm reduction services and reinforced the importance of approaches shaped by the voices and experiences of those who use them.
A model for wider adoption
The success of the WAND initiative has been recognised at a national level, with the programme recommended for rollout to other health boards across Scotland.
Delivered through strong partnerships with third sector organisations and supported by a highly trained workforce, the programme demonstrates how innovation, collaboration and targeted investment can deliver meaningful improvements in care and outcomes.
Despite operating with relatively modest resources, it continues to provide high-impact interventions and support to individuals, communities and the wider health system.
John Campbell, Injecting Equipment Provision Manager, Alcohol and Drug Recovery Services, said: “This programme is about giving frontline staff the skills, confidence and clinical knowledge they need to make a real difference in people’s lives.
“We are seeing increasingly complex patterns of drug use, and it’s vital that our workforce is equipped to respond safely, effectively and with compassion.
“The success of this training – and the WAND programme more broadly – shows what can be achieved through strong partnerships, lived experience and a shared commitment to reducing harm.”
Pat Togher, Chief Officer of Glasgow City HSCP, said: “We are incredibly proud of everyone who has completed this programme.
“Harm reduction plays a critical role in protecting some of our most vulnerable populations, and this work is a key part of our wider public health approach.
“The scale and success of the WAND programme demonstrates how innovation, collaboration and targeted investment can deliver meaningful improvements in care and outcomes across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.”
