The objectives and actions of the national drugs strategy, Reducing harm, supporting recovery, are underpinned by the values of equity and partnership and a commitment to an evidence-informed approach. The involvement of communities in the response to problem drug use is key to realising the strategy’s aims. The strategy also underlines the place of evidence in service development and delivery. It recognises how important it is to engage stakeholders both in the implementation of research findings and in sharing learned experience.

In November 2018, the Department of Health and the Health Research Board will host a national forum that will provide an opportunity for community-based services to inform colleagues about their work, to exchange knowledge around what works, and to identify information gaps. It will recognise the dynamism and commitment of these services, enable shared learning and encourage discussion among practitioners, activists, and administrators who face similar challenges. This event aims to strengthen the capacity of existing communities of practice and provide examples for new networks and collaborative working across the statutory, community, and voluntary sectors.

The idea of communities of practice in drugs and alcohol services builds on the origin of the concept in other spheres that sought more effective ways of learning while working. Communities of practice are usually defined in terms of groups of people prepared to work together to find solutions to a problem they have in common. The opportunity offered means that information and advice can be shared and existing tools and methods can be adapted and applied to new situations. If maintained, the community of practice can share a body of knowledge and develop new practices and approaches.

Identifying interventions which have been shown to work is an essential part of developing effective responses but, just as importantly, is identifying what evidence is relevant to the national situation, where the gaps in evidence are, and how will we know if the response is effective. These are all questions that can be answered more convincingly if those who face the same type of problem and learning occurs through practice and interaction with colleagues. Participants in the forum will hear from services with similar concerns to them. They can share knowledge from their own experience and learn about ways of continuing this interaction so that a common approach can be developed, based on evidence but also on the practical knowledge built up throughout successive drugs strategies.