Shropshire Safeguarding Community Partnership has identified tackling drug and alcohol use as a priority from April 2020 to March 2023. Drug and alcohol use is an all-age, cross-cutting issue that can have negative and long-term consequences on health, well-being and life chances, the safety of communities and vibrancy of the local economy.
What is the function of the group?
The Drug and Alcohol Group was established to identify how it was going to tackle this priority and as with other groups in the Partnership is multi-agency in nature. The group also links with the Health and Well-being Board. The function of the group is to do the following;
- Develop and understand a partnership profile of drug and alcohol misuse in Shropshire.
- Monitor the effectiveness of pathways, commissioned services and activities to address drug and alcohol misuse in Shropshire.
- Reviewing drug-related death reviews and using learning to improve practice.
- Use learning from previous cases/audits/case reviews/case tracking of drug and alcohol misuse and embedding learning to improve practice.
- Linking with the Learning and Development Group, improve practitioners knowledge, skills and confidence in preventing and responding to drug and alcohol misuse.
- Identify any gaps in provision in addressing the issues identified in the profile of drug and alcohol, and ensure resources are prioritised effectively.
- To ensure the voice of people who use drug and alcohol services, their families and communities is heard throughout the work of the strategic priority group.
How will we know we have been successful?
We’ll know we’ve been successful when we:
- Increase the proportion of people who successfully complete drug and alcohol treatment and do not re-present.
- Reduce drug related deaths.
- Increase the number of people who leave prison and continue treatment within the community.
- Reduce alcohol related hospital admissions.
- Develop a drug and alcohol policy framework with schools to reduce exclusions.
- Develop a drug and alcohol strategy.