Prevention & Service Support Team - NHS Ayrshire & Arran

15/12/2025

🎄 12 Days of a Safe Christmas Day 2 - Drink Spiking ⚠️🍸

Day 2 is all about drink spiking something that can happen quickly and quietly, but with serious consequences. With lots of nights out, Christmas parties and catch-ups happening just now, a little awareness goes a long way.

Here are some simple steps to help keep yourself and others safe:
✔ Never leave your drink unattended
✔ Don’t accept drinks from people you don’t know
✔ Watch your drink being poured or prepared
✔ Look out for your friends, stay together and check in
✔ If something doesn’t feel right, get help straight away

Common signs to watch for:
⚠ Feeling suddenly confused, drowsy or light-headed
⚠ A drink that tastes strange or looks different
⚠ Friends acting unusually after only a small amount of alcohol

Remember: spiking is never the victim’s fault.

By staying alert and looking after each other, we can help make sure everyone gets home safe this festive season. ❤️

👉 Join us tomorrow for Day 3 - Cocaethylene: Mixing Alcohol & Co***ne.

14/12/2025

🎄 12 Days of a Safe Christmas Day 1 - Alcohol: Units, Calories & Your Health 🍷✨
We’re kicking off our 12 Days of a Safe Christmas with a topic that catches a lot of people out… just how quickly alcohol units and calories can creep up over the festive period.

From a couple of beers with friends to a cosy Baileys after dinner, it all adds up and understanding what you’re drinking is one of the simplest ways to look after yourself this December. 💡

Here are a few things to keep in mind:
✔ It’s safest not to drink more than 14 units per week
✔ Festive favourites can carry more calories than you think
✔ Alcohol can affect judgement, increase risk-taking and impact your next day

Nobody’s saying you can’t enjoy a drink, just make informed choices that keep you feeling good and staying safe. ❤️

Check out today’s visuals to see what 14 units actually looks like and how easy those festive calories can stack up.

👉 Follow along each day as we share more tips to help you enjoy the holidays safely, confidently and with a clear head.

Stay safe, stay festive! 🎁✨

12/12/2025

🎄 12 Days of a Safe Christmas is back! 🎄

The festive season has arrived, and while the Prevention & Service Support Team loves all the sparkle this time of year brings, we’re also here to help you stay safe, informed, and looking after yourself. ✨

We’ll be starting Day 1 on Sunday 14th December 2025, and over the 12 days that follow, we’ll share bite-sized tips and guidance to support safer choices around drugs, alcohol, and your mental wellbeing throughout the holidays. 💡💬

Here’s what we’ve got lined up:
🎁 Day 1: Alcohol – units, calories & looking after your health
🎁 Day 2: Drink spiking
🎁 Day 3: Cocaethylene – mixing alcohol & co***ne
🎁 Day 4: Ketamine
🎁 Day 5: Drink driving
🎁 Day 6: Emergency contact numbers
🎁 Day 7: Volatile substances
🎁 Day 8: THC
🎁 Day 9: Naloxone & overdose awareness
🎁 Day 10: Harm reduction
🎁 Day 11: Health & wellbeing
🎁 Day 12: A Christmas message from our team

👉 Stay tuned, daily posts will begin on Sunday, bringing you practical information to help keep you safe, supported, and able to enjoy the season to the fullest. 🎉

09/12/2025

Gemma and Paul are at Fullarton ConneXions today for the Changes networking event. Pop down for a free cup of tea or coffee until 4pm.

03/12/2025

🎓FREE Alcohol & Drug Training Courses - Book Now! 🎓

Our Prevention & Service Support Team training calendar is OPEN for bookings‼

Courses run from January - June 2026 and are completely FREE for anyone living or working in Ayrshire & Arran.

🌟Whether you're supporting others, working in the community, or just want to learn more - we've got a session for you!

📆Click the link or scan the QR code on the calendar to book
📝Fill in your details and we'll send you everything you need
📲Don't miss out - spaces fill up fast!

👇View the training calendar & book your place:
🔗https://forms.office.com/e/XCMuPDdrAH

📣Feel free to tag a friend or colleague who might be interested!

02/12/2025

Marie from the Prevention and Service Support Team joined Anne, our Alcohol and Drugs Liaison Officer, at Ayrshire College’s Kilwinning Campus today for their Winterfest event, sharing important information on Drink Spiking.

📍 Find us next at:

Kilmarnock Campus – Tomorrow
Ayr Campus – Thursday
🕒 10:30 AM – 1:00 PM

Come along for advice, resources, and support on staying safe this winter!

01/12/2025

🌎World AIDS Day

Today, we stand together to remember those we’ve lost, support people living with HIV, and renew our commitment to end HIV stigma and transmissions by 2030.

In Scotland, progress is being made—but stigma and misinformation still harm lives. This year’s theme is “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response”, reminding us that community-led action is key.

✅ Get tested – know your status
✅ Challenge HIV stigma
✅ Support inclusive care and prevention

Learn more and access resources at Waverley Care and Terrence Higgins Trust Scotland.

27/11/2025

🚛 Look out for our new bin truck adverts in KA11 & KA12 from 1st December!! 🚛

We have been working in conjunction with North Ayrshire ADP to bring important drug and alcohol harm reduction messages to your streets.

✅📸If you see one, share a photo and tag us!

Let’s keep our communities safe and informed.
Together, we can make a difference.

19/11/2025

On Friday, Gemma & Derek had the privilege of meeting with members of The Zone Recovery Support Group in Dalmellington to talk openly about stigma, how it forms, how it affects everyone, and how we can work together to overcome it.

A huge thank-you to everyone who took part in the discussion. Your willingness to listen, learn, and share is what drives real change. But this is just the beginning, we need more voices, more perspectives, and more community members involved to keep this progress going, Together, we can make a lasting impact. 🌱

19/11/2025

🌿 Cannabis Training Course – Spaces Available! 🌿

We still have spaces available on our Cannabis Training Course taking place on:
📅 Wednesday 26th November 2025
🕙 10am – 1pm
📍 Ayr Hospital

This training is designed to give participants a broader understanding of cannabis, including its prevalence, types, effects, and issues surrounding its use. We’ll also explore medicinal cannabis and the impact of THC and CBD on the body.
Perfect for anyone working in the addictions field or those with a general interest in cannabis-related topics.

After completing this course, participants will be able to:
✅ Identify different types of cannabis and administration routes
✅ Understand the importance of THC and CBD
✅ Recognise the effects of cannabis use
✅ Clarify links between cannabis use and mental health
✅ Examine symptoms of cannabis dependence
✅ Discuss issues surrounding medicinal cannabis
📩 Interested in joining?

Click here to book your FREE place:

🔗 https://forms.office.com/e/9gAXvsF9FK

ℹ All of our training courses are FREE for anyone who lives or works within Ayrshire & Arran.

19/11/2025

🎯 FREE ALCOHOL BRIEF INTERVENTION (ABI) TRAINING
📅 Monday 1st December 2025
🕙 10am - 1pm
💻 Online via Microsoft Teams

We still have limited spaces available for this popular training session!

This interactive course will give you the skills and confidence to deliver early, supportive conversations around alcohol use.

👉 By the end of the course, you’ll be able to:

✨ Understand the what, why, when, where and how of Alcohol Brief Interventions
✨ Calculate alcohol units and understand the rationale behind UK guidance
✨ Recognise how your role can support early intervention
✨ Confidently raise the subject and choose appropriate screening tools
✨ Build motivation to carry out ABIs effectively
✨ Know how to signpost to relevant support services

📩 Book your FREE place here:
https://forms.office.com/e/9gAXvsF9FK

19/11/2025

East Ayrshire Alcohol and Drugs Partnership is gathering feedback on alcohol consumption patterns and their associated attitudes.

If you’re aged 18 or over, share your views in their survey and help us better understand how alcohol consumption is viewed in East Ayrshire. 👉🏻https://orlo.uk/0Uyi5

Please be advised that this survey is completely anonymous and your personal details will not be shared.

The survey will close on Friday 30 January 2026.

Our Alcohol and Drugs Partnership is gathering feedback on alcohol consumption patterns and their associated attitudes.

If you’re aged 18 or over, share your views in their survey and help us better understand how alcohol consumption is viewed in East Ayrshire. 👉🏻https://orlo.uk/0Uyi5

Please be advised that this survey is completely anonymous and your personal details will not be shared.

The survey will close on Friday 30 January 2026.