New partnership to help tackle substance misuse in Nottinghamshire

If approved, the Substance Misuse Partnership will be made up of partners from local authorities, the criminal justice system, the NHS and Change Grow Live (the provider of treatment and recovery which is commissioned by Nottinghamshire County Council) and is being set up as part of the Government’s 10 year National Drugs Strategy ‘From Harm to Hope’.

The Partnership will aim to help with reducing drug use, reducing drug-related crime and reducing drug-related deaths and harm.

In Nottinghamshire, it is estimated that there are 175,600 people who use drugs and alcohol frequently who could benefit from intervention, with 12,800 of these being dependent on substances.

Adult alcohol-related hospital admission episodes are higher than the national average across all districts except Bassetlaw, for both males and females and across all age groups (535 per 100,000 population in Nottinghamshire compared to a national average of 456 per 100,000). The most female admissions are for 40 to 64 year olds and for males, the most admissions are for over 65s.

Coun Dr John Doddy, chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board, said: “Tackling substance misuse is one of the key priorities in our Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

"The new Substance Misuse Partnership will give us a clear mechanism for organisations to work together to address shared challenges and deliver the Government’s Drugs Strategy.

“We want to tackle the bigger picture and look at the wider reasons for people misusing drugs and alcohol, such as mental health, homelessness and domestic abuse.

"Together with our partners, we want to focus more on education and prevention, we want to reduce the supply of substances in the local community and also support those people who suffer from multiple disadvantages.”

By November, the Partnership will be required to involve all relevant parties in completing an assessment of need across all three ambitions of the strategy.

By December, the new Partnership will have agreed a local drugs strategy delivery plan and performance framework to reflect the national strategic priorities.