Drug training to make clubbing safer

The training will include advice about drug-assisted rape

Staff at a Birmingham nightclub are receiving training to help them recognise when clubbers are suffering the ill effects of drugs.

About 20 workers at the Nightingale venue will also be taught emergency first aid as part of West Midlands Police's "Safer Clubbing" programme.

The training will include advice on how staff should react when they suspect an attempt has been made to carry out a drug-assisted rape.

The aim of the scheme is to reduce the number of clubbers adversely affected by drugs.

Turning a blind eye to someone who is in trouble because you suspect they have taken drugs is potentially life-threatening

Phil Oldershaw
Operations director

Detective Constable Alan Rose said the programme will make the Nightingale a safer place to be.

"The safer clubbing training programme has been designed to provide club and pub staff with the skills and confidence to deal with potentially life-threatening situations", he said.

Staff at the Nightingale are now in a position to deal with such incidents, making this club a much safer social venue."

Life-threatening

Phil Oldershaw, from the Nightingale, said it was no longer acceptable to ignore to drug use.

"Turning a blind eye to someone who is in trouble because you suspect they have taken drugs is potentially life-threatening and indeed ignorant", he said.

"This training has given us the confidence to know that, if an incident occurs, we know the best way to react", said Mr Oldershaw.