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1.

Question from: County Councillor Matthew Dorrance Subject: Strategy for combatting the misuse of drugs, alcohol and other substances pdf icon PDF 422 KB

 

Question From:

County Councillor Matthew Dorrance

Subject:

Strategy for combatting the misuse of drugs, alcohol and other substances

Question To:

County Councillor Myfanwy Alexander

Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Welsh Language

 

Question:

 

The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 makes clear the Council has a responsibility to implement a strategy for combatting the misuse of drugs, alcohol and other substances within its area.

 

Will the Cabinet Member please provide a statement which sets out the Council’s strategy?

Minutes:

Response by the Portfolio Holder:

 

The Welsh Government’s Strategy for substance misuse ‘Working Together to Reduce Harm’ (2008-18) advocated strongly that ‘the responsible authorities’ that make up the Community Safety Partnerships should, where appropriate, do more to plan substance misuse services and pool resources at a local level.  The Welsh Government therefore established the Area Planning Board (APB) structure in 2010 with a view to supporting delivery at a regional level. 

 

From April 2013, it was further developed to provide a framework that brings the responsible authorities together to collaboratively plan and commission substance misuse services.  The responsible authorities are the Local Authorities, Police, Health Board, Probation, Fire and Prisons. All APBs in Wales are allocated revenue funding for tackling substance misuse from two sources in the form of the Substance Misuse Action Fund (SMAF) and the local Health Board’s ring-fenced substance misuse allocation.  This is also augmented with additional pooled funds from National Probation and the Police and Crime Commissioner.  In addition, there is a substance misuse capital budget available to APBs from the Welsh Government. 

 

The most recent Welsh Government Delivery Plan 2019 – 2022 sets out the key areas of priority against which SMAF funding should deliver against. In particular:

·         Improve the access, availability and quality of children and young people’s services

·         Address waiting lists including those for in-patient services

·         Tackling alcohol misuse

·         Commissioning appropriate detoxification and rehabilitation services

·         Integrating recovery into mainstream services

·         Responding to co-occurring mental health problems, which are common in substance misuse

·         Ensuring strong partnership working with housing and homelessness services to further develop the multi-disciplinary approach needed to support those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness;

·         Providing further support for families and carers of people who misuse substances

·         Ensuring that appropriate and responsive alcohol misuse services are in place following the implementation of the Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Act 2018

·         Improving access to services and ensuring people get the support and treatment when they need it; strengthen multiagency working and care planning to ensure peoples’ needs are met; and

·         Tackling dependence on prescription only medicines and over the counter medicines.

At a local level APBs are required to develop a commissioning strategy based on an understanding of the population, whether outcomes are being met and the impact of demand on services. The purpose of the strategy is to understand population demand, the types of services and responses already in place to prevent, respond and reduce demand. It also aims to predict the types of services and integrated pathways required to deliver optimum outcomes for individuals, families and communities.  The existing Strategy Powys Area Planning Board Substance Misuse Strategy 2015-2020 sets out the priorities for Powys and existing services in place which meet these priorities.

 

Transformation and Development

The Global Covid 19 Pandemic has impacted significantly on the population, the impact of which is still being understood in the context of substances and alcohol. There is considerable learning and reflection required to understand the effectiveness of services, emerging  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.