The impetus to organise a London Chemsex Conference stemmed from a lack of harm reduction for GBMSM and the wider LGBT+ community, the persistent rise of problematic drug use, addiction and complex harms, and the need for a more joined-up/ coordinated whole system approach for the Capital. 67 delegates attended this in-person multi-agency event on 7 June 2024 at Camden Town Hall in a packed Claudia Jones Community Room.
Originally an invitation-only conference for 60 delegates, over 250 people requested to attend and/ or have expressed interest in a future event. Overwhelmed initially, the conference had to pivot from an RSVP invite to an Eventbrite event. For those of you who joined us thank you. For those who did not, we are holding two similar events before the end of 2024.
Some know first-hand that working in the chemsex field can be demanding, uncompromising, and wins can feel few and far between. So, there was something truly special about so many exceptional individuals coming together at London’s first Chemsex Conference to jumpstart this much-needed dialogue. An extraordinary day with extraordinary folk from across the gamut of health fields serving Londoners—heartfelt thanks to all the speakers, and volunteers.
Download here: London Chemsex Conference 2024 Report | PDF
Takeaways and next steps:
- A harm reduction plan/ strategy for London
Realistic and pragmatic. Cost of harm reduction versus treatment - Sustainable funding model/ investment in prevention/ joint funding streams
Collaboration between (government) departments, authorities, agencies and NHS - Joint/ integrated working/ improve support and referral/ care pathways
Collaboration. Co-location. Co-production (inc. those with lived experience) - Capacity building to improve support services provision
Multidisciplinary approach. Holistic person-centred services. Cross Borough commissioning - Data gathering and analysis
Across LGBTQIA+ spectrum/ communities. NHS, EDs, MPS, LAS, GUMCAD, NDTMS - Education, training, and addressing (a lack of) cultural competence
Across disciplines and fields. Focus on mental health services. - Harm reduction: consistent messaging, signposting, outreach, BBV test/ treat
Judgement-free. Inclusive. Intersectional. Address stigma: chemsex, drug use, sex.
- Emergency services and criminal justice
Clarity of how services intersect/ interact. Distrust of the police, transparency, role (code of conduct)
Evaluation respondents were split between public health, sexual health, drug treatment/ support, the NHS, criminal justice and commissioning. The conference was rated highly, ie: engagement, relevance, speakers/ presenter knowledge, and organising/ facilities. The three harm reduction tools showcased at the conference were rated highly: London Ambulance Service support cards, PIP PAC safer chemsex pack (paraphernalia) and the SAFER pack (print).