Another email, another week and still no response from the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) regarding potential sponsorship for Daily Dose. Last year, I received no reply from the substance misuse team, this year the same from the Minister's office. Meanwhile, other UK government departments have been in contact about invoices, payments and logos.
I don't think that this lack of response is anything specific against Wired In or myself. It more likely reflects a deeper malaise.
A large number of people have told me that their efforts to communicate with people in the WAG who are supposedly concerned with substance misuse issues have resulted in either an unsatisfactory response or no response at all. These same people have expressed concern about the quality of work conducted by WAG in this field.
Some of these people have told me that they are frightened to speak out because they fear retaliation. They are concerned that the agency they work for may lose funding in the future. Obviously, this is a very concerning situation.
I set up Wired In to help people affected by substance use problems, which we do in part by helping practitioners working in the field. I have told people that I will speak out against what I see is wrong in this field and I intend to keep this promise. This blog will be one vehicle I use to speak out.
If I cannot have a decent two-way conversation with WAG that results in a positive and meaningful outcome, then I will have a one-way communication from this platform. The people affected by substance use problems, their families, and the practitioners committed to helping people need and deserve this, and much more, support. If what I see happening in the substance misuse field in Wales occurred in the cancer field, there would be a major outcry.
3 comments:
Dailydose has as much relevance in Wales as it does in the rest of the UK and the world! It is disappointing that you have not received a response from WAG as it does not reflect the enthusiasm and dedication of alcohol and drug service providers in Wales.
Not my area of speciality but an interesting and engaging post regardless. You are quite obviously a natural at this blogging lark. Keep at it. :)
This is part of a post from NUN from a SU group strugeling to get funding or renumuration for work to gov DAATs NTA but in this case WAG. Post reads.... ill give you an example, the Welsh Assembly asked us to go and do some work for them, so we went, after the fact learned that they would not pay for our time, they then called again a few weeks ago, asking for some of our materials that we usually charge £200 for but free to User Groups, as i did not have any hard bound copies left, i offered an email version, and asked them if they would like to make a donation to the Charity for the intellectual property, they said they had no money to do this, so there you go, the Welsh Assembly do not have any money!!! How odd!! I think he meant that they have money but will not pay a bunch of ex smack heads to give them materials that they believe they are owed or have the right to in some way.
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