ABSTRACT
Drawing on focus groups with a wide range of practitioners, this chapter analyses systemically the full range of procedures that come into play after a drug- or alcohol-related death. This ‘system’ is fragmented and confusing; information about it for practitioners is incomplete and for bereaved family members very sparse. The chapter provides possibly the first ever map of this ‘system’ in the UK or indeed anywhere. The chapter then goes on to identify the challenges that the focus groups highlighted in responding to those bereaved from substance-related death: liaising with and referring to other organisations, workplace priorities and culture that do not prioritise bereavement, gaps in professional capabilities and training and how to tailor support to each individual’s varied needs.
