The Government launched this long awaited document on Monday March 15^th. The 100 page strategy includes many recommendations to reduce alcohol related harm, and relies heavily on the concept of partnerships, including the drinks trade.

 

apas is organising a local seminar to discuss the implications of the strategy. What we must focus on is “how to make it happen”. This will be held next week – ring for details or check out our website – look for the date in the News section.

 

Meanwhile, here are just a few key points to consider.

 

Treatment

 

Access to alcohol advice and treatment does depend on where you live. Alcohol is too often overlooked in the primary care setting. We recommend the inclusion of alcohol in all PCT Local Development Plans.

 

·        apas has written to PCT’s recommending the inclusion of alcohol in LDPs

·        apas has provided accredited seminars for PCT staff

 

Crime and disorder

 

Many alcohol related incidents are preventable. We do not see the addition of lots of extra police patrolling city streets as an answer. The responsibility must be passed to the pub and club operators so that fewer police are needed to combat disorder. Other measures that we have recommended include restrictions on the use of bottles and the use of toughened glasses as a condition of licence.

 

·        apas has lobbied the police and the trade with these recommendations

·        apas led the development of an “alcohol strategy for Nottingham”, supported by the City Council. This was in 1999 and it’s time that it was implemented.

 

Partnerships with the drinks trade

 

The alcohol industry spends over £700 million a year on advertising and this is where the public receives most of its alcohol information. The trade is mindful of its responsibilities although a minority of individuals and operators do give the industry a very bad name.

 

The strategy recommends measures that will enable effective enforcement when a pub, club or off-licence is acting irresponsibly.

 

·        apas has worked with Pubwatch and promoted good practice

·        apas continues to highlight areas and examples of good practice, rather than focussing on ‘bad apples’

 

Partnerships with other groups

 

Alcohol misuse impacts on every aspect of the life of a town or city. Therefore, to reduce alcohol related harm the issues have to be taken on by everyone, rather than leaving it for someone else to do. Therefore, apas has:

 

·        promoted alcohol initiatives in the workplace

·        promoted alcohol harm reduction measures with town and city centre management teams

·        provided alcohol education and training to the public at large

·        provided education and training in partnership with the DAATs

·        provided training to the Probation Service and other professional staff in a variety of occupational settings

 

Early identification and intervention

 

Service users tell us constantly that the most important point in their ‘road to recovery’ was the availability of an accessible advice and intervention service at the time that they wanted to make changes. The role of alcohol services, along with probation, the prisons, social services and primary care cannot be understated.

 

Professionals tell us that they greatly value the support provided by apas when they are dealing with a drink problem in their client group. Again, availability and accessibility are mentioned.

 

 

Clearly then, resources must be targeted towards early identification and intervention services. apas has a Fact sheet available to set out the benefits of these types of interventions, who is most likely to benefit, and how does it work. Call us for a free copy – ask for Brief Interventions Fact sheet.

 

Summary

 

The strategy focuses on reducing alcohol related crime and disorder. We have no quarrel with the need to do that. However, the treatment services are promised ‘jam tomorrow’ with the strategy’s requirement for an audit process of ‘what works’. We don’t expect that this will produce anything that we don’t already know (i.e. treatment works, and the sooner you start to do something the better the outcome).

 

Our concern is that the strategy will be used as an excuse for not committing resources – waiting for the results of the audit! Further, that the current review of the role of the National Treatment Agency (which disburses funds for drugs via the DAATs) will also provide a reason for not spending on reducing alcohol related health harm.

 

We are sitting on a time-bomb, and the longer we do nothing the more likely it becomes that we’ll all have to face the consequences of a much larger explosion of drink related problems.

                                                                      

Publicans in demand

It is increasingly apparent that licensees do not tend to remain in their pubs for very long these days. In our view, and also CAMRA, that contributes to poor management of premises and staff with a consequential increase in alcohol related crime and disorder.

 

In the Ruddington area, we have previously highlighted the Three Crowns pub as an example with management practices that others could usefully follow. The landlord, Ben Chapman, has been there since November 2002, and his excellent team are largely unchanged in that time.  We learn with amazement that Ben is now the longest serving landlord in Ruddington!  Congratulations!

 

 

Free alcohol awareness training

 

We receive countless requests for alcohol awareness training and, wherever we can, we deliver a session or sessions to meet the needs of the organisations contacting us. However, many individuals also seek training.

 

In the county we provide alcohol awareness training in partnership with the County DAAT training team. The requests that we receive from people in the city are not so easily dealt with, so we have decided to offer some sessions here at our Park Row base.

 

The sessions are free, although we ask for a £10 deposit refundable on attendance or if you cancel with 48 hours notice. This is simply to make sure that we can get as many people in as possible, without wasting spaces and places.

 

All you will need is a willingness to listen and learn, a sense of humour, and you must not attend if you’ve had a drink.

 

Everyone will go away energised, enlightened, and with a “toolkit” to help you in the future.

 

The dates are:

 

Tuesday June 8^th 1.00 pm - 5.00 pm

Saturday June 19^th 9.00 am – 1.00 pm

Thursday July 8^th 3.00 pm – 7.00 pm

 

Please book by sending your name, address and telephone number, with a cheque for £10, to

apas

FREEPOST NG4824, NOTTINGHAM, NG1 1BR

 

Alternatively, you can call Nick Tegerdine on 0115 941 4747 ext. 48053 with your details.

Bookings will be confirmed when your deposit has been received.

apas Membership

 

People who have used our services are encouraged to become members.

People who share our concerns and values are encouraged to become members.

People who are interested in the issues surrounding alcohol use and misuse are encouraged to become members.

 

R U joined up?

Contact: Annemarie Sargeant on: 0115 948 5570 ext.48193

 

Bottle watch

We have not had room in recent editions to include our regular and highly popular bottle watch feature. However, we have our eyes and ears open and the problem of bottles on the streets remains a huge one.

 

Very often the source of the bottle can be identified by a price ticket on the neck. Pubs blame the off-licences for the bottle issue. However, the majority of bottles that we find appear to have come from within pubs and clubs.

 

To reduce alcohol related harm bottles should remain inside the premises. Even better, all drinks should be dispensed in a toughened glass!

 

We have been saying this for years and it’s now in the National Strategy.