Agenda item

Report of the Director of Public Health – presented by Jane Sunter, Public Health Strategic Manager – Living Well, Ageing Well, Public Health, Adult and Health Services.

The Chair introduced the Public Health Strategic Manager who was in attendance to update the Committee on the Alcohol and Drug Harm Reduction Group (ADHRG) and report on the work that the range of Partners who were engaged in the Group aim to carry out to reduce alcohol and drug misuse related harm (for copy see file of minutes).

The Committee was informed that the ADHRG plan had been developed and implemented under the governance of the Safe Durham Partnership. The group brought together stakeholders engaged in alcohol and drug harm reduction to oversee the implementation of actions.

The Public Health Manager drew the Committees attention to appendix two of the report showing the ADHRG plan on a page that highlighted the vision and objectives of the group. The plan on a page had helped develop the associated action plan that was to be reported to the Drug and Alcohol Strategy Group on 23 September 2019.

The Public Health Manager updated the Committee on the wider programme of Partnership working and commended that the Alcohol CLeaR (Challenge services, Leadership and Results) was an evidence-based approach that Partnerships could use to see how local systems and services were doing in reducing alcohol related harm. It was confirmed that the Public Health Team had been approached by Alcohol CLeaR to be a pilot project, the results of which had helped develop the plan. 

Members were advised that there was a reduction in alcohol seizures from children and young people by the police and if children and young people were caught in possession of alcohol, a vulnerable children’s form would be completed that could track children back to their families in order to offer support around the dangers of alcohol. 

In addition an alcohol licensing consultation was underway looking at special policies around several licensed premises in Durham along with the associated crime and what impact this had on the bars.  The consultation deadline would run to November 2019 to enable students to participate and it was confirmed FRESH had been procured for another year to continue their work across the region.

The Public Health Strategic Manager highlighted that the ‘alcohol free children’ campaign had been successful to which had attracted a lot of media coverage aimed at targeting parents alerting them to the dangers of allowing children to have alcohol.

Members were advised that the North East Alcohol Office, Balance had carried out work with Sheffield University around the Minimum Unit Price (MUP) for alcohol.  They continue to lobby Government and MP’s to introduce a 50p MUP for alcohol in England.  Research carried out showed that the North East would benefit from this.  They had also launched a campaign called ‘spot of lunch’ which looked at links between the consumption of alcohol and cancer.

In addition, Naloxone kits had been rolled out with the police in custody suites as a way of reversing the effects of opiate overdoses.  So far 90 kits had been given out to service users, family members, carers and other key stakeholders. 

It was confirmed that Human Kind had their contract renewed with Durham County Council to offer along with Spectrum clinical and medical services around drug and alcohol misuse.  The Public Health Team and Partners were exploring ways to develop the Women’s recovery Centre Durham (WRAD) including its location in order to address the current gap in provision.

 A holistic Health Needs Assessment (HNA) for long term opiate users had been undertaken to consider the requirements and to oversee the work. There were five areas for commissioning to be considered – the review of treatment options, extending mental health provision, increased engagement with primary care regarding long terms conditions, Bespoke women’s services including WRAD and the potential for the provision for Heroin Assisted Treatment (HAT).  A bid was submitted to Housing Solutions to employ two Mental Health workers.  Although unsuccessful further options would be pursued via Right Place, Right Carer programme.

The Chair thanked the Public Health Strategic Manager and noted the good work that was taking place around Alcohol and Drug Harm Reduction in the County.   He asked Members of the Committee for their comments and questions.

Councillor H Liddle asked for clarification in relation to the referral process for young people under the influence of drugs and alcohol, if the police were involved and commented that the trend at present in young people appears to be consuming drugs via large water bottles used as bongs with alcohol becoming less affordable.

The Public Health Strategic Manager informed the group that the natural trend in alcohol in young people was going down.  If police were alerted to either a young person or a group of young people under the influence, there were several ways this could be handled.  Advice could be given at the scene to that young person/people or their parents could be contacted alerting them to the dangers of alcohol in children.  Alternatively, the school could be contacted where larger groups of young people were involved.

Councillor D Boyes asked what could be done in schools.  The Public Health Strategic Manager informed the group that work carried out in schools was dependent on what the school themselves would allow.  Drug and alcohol harm could be addressed in assemblies or within classrooms.  There were various packages open to schools including the attendance of the Police. 

Councillor D Stoker was concerned with issues in the market place in Durham City over the last six-month period with people under the influence.  Some of these people were presenting as homeless and begging for money in an aggressive manner. He informed the Committee that he had received a phone call from an elderly person from Tynemouth expressing how appalled they had been when visiting Durham City recently. Councillor D Stoker commented that he felt there was a limited response from the police to this situation with no one else taking responsibility for the matter and asked what was happening to moderate the situation. 

Councillor L Hovvels informed the Committee that the issue had been raised on several occasions.  Durham City Parish Council had called a conference that would be held on 31 October 2019 to address the situation with joint working between the police and Housing Solutions as this was a multi-agency problem that needed addressing. 

The Public Health Strategic Manager also re-iterated that people were aware of the situation and work was on going to try to address the situation within the Safer Durham Partnership.  Tourists and students visiting the market place perceive these people to be homeless but in a lot of cases they were not. The Drug and Alcohol outreach workers visit the area to offer help to those who genuinely need it but there was a small group of people that refuse any help. 

Councillor D Stoker needed to know why these people could not be banned from the area.  The Public Health Strategic Manager informed the group that this discussion would need to be taken up with the police.  Councillor D Boyes informed the group to await the outcome of the conference which should be kept on the agenda of this Committee.

Councillor J Turnbull asked for clarification as to whether the Licensing consultation covered supermarkets selling alcohol in the early mornings and commented that people were travelling to Durham to beg for money and would then purchase alcohol.  The Public Health Strategic Manager agreed to check with a colleague on what the Licensing consultation included and acknowledged that the begging behaviour was becoming an issue and advise was being provided to students to not give away money of which may discourage those begging from coming back.

Councillor D Stoker asked if supermarkets were given advice over the sale of alcohol for 24 hours and who they should sell it to.  The Public Health Strategic Manager informed the group that work had been carried out over an 18-month period with Gateshead Council around options for licensing registration.  There was not a lot of room to negotiate with supermarkets over the selling of alcohol.  Advice and recommendations were given to supermarkets but it was up to the supermarkets as to whether they implemented the recommendations. The Public Health Strategic Manager informed Members that the Public Health Team were consulted on changes to licences and this had resulted in a garage in Plawsworth not increasing their license to 24 hours.

Councillor D Boyes asked about opioids such as Fentanyl being prescribed by GP’s and whether the Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG) are monitored and challenged if we thought that the levels being prescribed were excessive. The Public Health Strategic Manager informed the group that rates were coming down and partnership working with CCGs, training packages for GPs were available.  

With regards to the roll out of Naloxone kits, Councillor K Thompson asked if they were restricted due to budgets or whether Councillors could use their Small Grant funding to pay for further kits to help the service.

The Public Health Strategic Manager informed the group that training is required in the use of the kits and at present the kits were funded through Public Health and were currently being used by the police.

Councillor R Crute asked whether there were any contingency plans if the funding/budget came to an end for this work and if this work could be sustained.  The Public Health Strategic Manager informed the group that there was Public Health funding for another year.   The contract was continually being reviewed however drug and alcohol recovery and treatment services was a mandatory service for the Council to provide.

Resolved

     I.        That the report be noted; and

    II.        That the update on the actions associated with the ADHRG plan be noted