Public Information for Professionals

Does your work bring you into contact with using addicts?

Would you like to know more about NA?

If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then the Glasgow & West Coast Public Information Committee is eager to hear from you. The Public Information Committee is entrusted with increasing the awareness and effectiveness of NA among the general public and professionals whose work brings them into contact with addicts in Glasgow & West Coast Area.

Narcotics Anonymous values the building of relationships with any professionals working with addicts, for example national and local government, the helping professions, and public, private and voluntary organisations which have direct contact with addicts, their families and friends. We maintain successful relationships with many such bodies through regular dialogue.

Our experience shows that we have many non-addict friends who can act as advocates for NA. Our Public Information Commitee cooperates with professionals and organisations by providing information about NA’s programme for recovery from addiction.

About Narcotics Anonymous:

Narcotics Anonymous is a community of people who support each other to achieve and maintain a drug free life. The only requirement for participation in NA is a desire to stop using drugs. There are no membership fees, and each group is self supporting. NA is not allied with any religion, institution or other organisation. NA exists solely so that its members can support each other to stay drug free and to help others achieve and maintain a drug free recovery and lifestyle.

In NA we are not concerned about what drugs people may have used, what they have done in the past or what their personal status might be, we are only interested in what they want to do to change their life and how we can help. Addiction cuts across all segments of society and age groups and affects people in differing ways. In the beginning many who come to our meetings think they are different and will not belong, but on attending meetings and hearing others talk about their experiences they often realise how similar these are to their own.

NA is currently referred to in the UK as a Mutual Aid organisation, NA helps addicts to stop taking drugs, get well and change the quality of their lives. We mutually help each other, we consider those that are new to NA to be the most important people in our meetings because we have learnt that helping others is a gift that reinforces our motivation and desire to stay drug free.

The Department for Health and Social Care, has issued guidelines recognising the benefits of mutual aid groups – stating it is essential that “all keyworkers support their clients to access mutual aid by delivering the structured Facilitated Access to Mutual Aid (FAMA) approach", see link to PHE publications below.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mutual-aid-toolkit-for-alcohol-and-drug-misuse-treatment

NA was founded in 1953 in the USA and is one of the oldest organisations of its type in the world.

The first UK NA meeting was held in Chelsea in 1980. Narcotics Anonymous published its first full-length book, the ‘Basic Text’, in 1982 and since then the fellowship Worldwide has grown dramatically.

NA exists in approximately 137 countries with over 67,000 weekly meetings taking place. Our literature is now translated into over 50 different languages.

Prior to the Covid outbreak there were over 1,200 NA meetings taking place each week throughout the UK. In 2020 over 950 meetings moved online. We now have a mix of in person and online meetings. Currently there are over 700 physical meetings and around 500 weekly online meetings. (UKNA)

There are weekly meetings being facilitated within the community in the UK. Our Hospitals and Institutions committees also run several hundred meetings and this number is growing rapidly. We have meetings in treatment centres, detox units and hospitals, along with meetings in young offender institutions, secure units and prisons.

Glasgow & West Coast Area has a 24 hr phone line in operation and has done so for the last 17yrs.

We have a dedicated group of trusted members who answer calls, providing meeting information and support for newcomers to attend their first meeting if required. There are currently 62 physical meetings running weekly across Glasgow & West Coast Area, this includes 2 Polish speaking meetings.

You can read & download the leaflets below for your own information and/or to pass on to your clients.

PI Presentation Requests

We can arrange a panel presentation, tailored to the requirements of your organisation, to explain how NA works and to answer your questions. (One month’s notice required).

Contact: pi@west.scotland.ukna.org

Enquiries

Helpline: 0800 140 4645

For local enquiries please e-mail: pi@west.scotland.ukna.org

For national enquiries please email UKPI: pi@ukna.org

Or write to:

UK Public Information Committee, Derby House, 12 Winckley Square, Preston PR1 3JJ