This course is now delivered online via Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Please enquire for details.
Chemsex Training Course
This Chemsex training course aims to give participants the confidence, knowledge and skills in order to deliver effective interventions and support for this subgroup.
What the course covers:
What is MSM – UK situation
Basic understanding of ‘Chemsex’
What we know and what we don’t know
Risk Factors
Implications for health, sexual health & drug services
Prevention and harm reduction
Good practice
Resources
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the session participants will be able to;
Increase knowledge and awareness of the issues relating to Chemsex and related issues
Increase knowledge of how GBL, Mephedrone and crystal meth are used and the effects upon individuals physiology and neurology
Understand the possible effects on health
Understand basic working methods with this subgroup
To increase confidence in working with this client group for both drug services and sexual health clinics
Who would benefit from the training?
Commissioners, Drug Service Providers, LGBT Services, Health & Sexual Health Workers, Mental Health Practitioners, GPs, Psychiatrist, Counsellors and other professionals that may be in contact with this client group.
Capability Framework Alignment
This course aligns with the Capability Framework for the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Workforce (NHS England/ OHID, 2024), which underpins the 10-Year Strategic Plan for the Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Recovery Workforce 2024–2034.
| Capability Domain (NHS England / OHID, 2024) | Framework Section |
| Knowledge of the harm associated with the physical, psychological and sexual health effects of chemsex drugs including GBL/GHB, mephedrone and crystal methamphetamine | Drug and Alcohol Worker: Application of Knowledge |
| Knowledge of the nature, prevalence and patterns of chemsex among men who have sex with men (MSM) in the UK, including social, cultural and community factors | Drug and Alcohol Worker: Application of Knowledge |
| Ability to recognise the specific risks associated with chemsex including BBV transmission, overdose, sexual coercion and mental health deterioration | Drug and Alcohol Worker: Application of Knowledge |
| Ability to provide evidence-based harm reduction interventions for chemsex, including safer drug use guidance, naloxone, BBV prevention and sexual health advice | Drug and Alcohol Worker: Harm Reduction, Treatment and Recovery |
| Ability to engage sensitively and without stigma with MSM and LGBTQ+ clients in both drug and sexual health service contexts | Drug and Alcohol Worker: Engagement, Assessment and Care Planning |
| Ability to carry out person-centred assessments that address co-occurring drug use, sexual health, psychological and social needs | Drug and Alcohol Worker: Engagement, Assessment and Care Planning |
| Ability to personalise care for people from LGBTQ+ communities, including awareness of intersecting identities and health inequalities | Drug and Alcohol Worker: Harm Reduction, Treatment and Recovery |
| Recovery-oriented approach — working with individuals to build personal, social and community recovery capital | Underpinning Principle: All Roles |
| Challenging stigma — being alert to the ways negative perceptions can influence practice | Underpinning Principle: All Roles |
| Underpinning Principles Embedded in This Course. Trauma-informed care • Recovery-oriented approach • Evidence-based practice • Person-centred working • Forming a working alliance • Therapeutic optimism • Challenging stigma • Co-occurring needs and multidisciplinary working |
Note: National Occupational Standards (DANOS/NOS) are retained within the National Occupational Standards library but are no longer the primary workforce development reference for the drug and alcohol treatment and recovery sector. This course uses the NHS England / OHID Capability Framework (2024) as its primary alignment standard.