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What we know
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| What we know | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The use of drugs and alcohol are key determinants of a person’s health and wellbeing and can also impact on the health of friends, family and wider society. At their worst alcohol and drug misuse are directly linked to violence, crime and contribute to mental illness. One recent study of the social costs of alcohol misuse in Northern Ireland during 1997/98 estimated the direct and indirect costs to be £777 million for the year. At its worst alcohol and drug misuse can be directly linked to violence, crime and contribute to mental illness. The health effects of drugs and/or alcohol largely depend on 3 main factors:
Depending on these factors the effects of
drugs or alcohol can be a positive or negative experience. While
there is no such thing as safe illicit drug use, in relation to
alcohol, it is recommended that men drink no more than 3-4 units of alcohol per day and no more than 21 units over the course of the week and that women drink no more than 2-3 units of alcohol per day and no more than 14 units over the course of the week. Current Position: Alcohol Adult alcohol consumption over the past 15 years has remained relatively constant, although there has been a gradual decline in the proportion of abstainers. To a certain extent this can be explained by the changing drinking patterns of female drinkers. Of those adults who do drink, a significant proportion of males drink in excess of the weekly recommended limit and a smaller proportion of women drink in a similar fashion, however, this has increased more significantly than the figure for men over the last 10 years. One feature of drinking often ascribed to Northern Ireland is that of 'binge drinking' ie the consumption of a number of drinks/units in a single or prolonged session. The most recent research would confirm that this type of drinking is popular with 48% of male drinkers and 35% of female drinkers reporting to be engaged in at least one binge drinking session during the week previous to being interviewed. It is also true that the bulk of people's drinking here takes place over the weekend (Friday to Sunday). Current Position: Drugs The drug context in Northern Ireland has for most part mirrored that of Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland in terms of the figures for those recreationally using, however we have not seen the same intensity of problem drug use especially in respect of herion and crack cocaine as with GB and ROI. Thus figures provided by prevalance surveys and treatment services show that cannabis remains as the illicit drug of choice. It would however appear that cocaine is becoming increasingly popular by increase in seizures, treatment referral figures and anecdotal evidence as reported by those working in the community. Another feature of drug use in Northern Ireland is the misuse of prescribed drugs and over the counter medicines, and for young people volatile substance misuse remains a perennial issue. (DHSSPS, New Strategic Direction for Alcohol and Drugs 2006-2011, May 2006) |
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| What information do we have about the Eastern Board area? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Within their Annual Report for 2005, the Eastern Drugs and Alcohol Co-ordination Team (EDACT) highlighted a number of key findings from their overview of the statistical data available for the EHSSB area:
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| What is the result of this on our health locally? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Whilst the media continue to highlight drug-related stories, there is no doubt that alchohol is the drug we need to focus on. In 2005 there was a total of 3702 new referrals for alcohol misuse compared with 740 new referrals for drug misuse to substance misuse treatment agencies within the EHSSB. Tackling substance misuse requires a huge amount of resources as it is not only about having treatment services in place but its also about trying to educate people (the younger the better) and/or intervene as early as possible before problems become entrenched. It is also about training people within all sectors, from GPs to community leaders, in basic drug awareness and how to identify when people are in need and what they can do to help. There are associated problems with illegal drug taking ie excessive drinking,which is linked with crime and anti-social behaviour and sexual risk taking etc.
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| Policies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The New Strategic Direction for Alcohol and Drugs (NSDAD) 2006-2011 was published by the DHSSPS in May 2006. A NSDAD Steering Group made up of the key statutory and non-statutory stakeholders will maintain an overview of the strategy and whether its outcomes are being met. The Alcohol and Drugs Policy Branch (ADPB) (formerly the Drugs and Alcohol Strategy Team) is responsible for taking forward the NSDAD at regional level, whereas the four Drugs and Alcohol Co-ordination Teams (DACTs) based within the four health board areas are responsible for it at a local level. The ADPB works closely with Drug and Alcohol Information Research Unit (DAIRU) in respect of monitoring, evaluation and carrying out key pieces of research in support of the strategy's objectives. At Department level, there are also four Advisory Groups:
Their role is to advise the NSDAD Steering Group in respect of that particular issue, to comment on current work towards the outcomes and to make recommendation as to future work and direction. The NSDAD Liaison Group consisting of the Chairs and Senior Co-ordinators from each of the DACTs, the Chairs of the four advisory groups and representatives from the ADPB and DAIRU also meets regularly to review progress.
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| What is happening in the Eastern Board area? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The EHSSB core-funds (approx £2 million per annum) a number of addiction services across the Board area, namely:-
The Eastern Drugs and Alcohol Co-ordination Team (EDACT) is a multi-agency partnership (on which the Eastern Health & Social Services Board is represented) with responsibility for implementing the New Strategic Direction for Alchohol and Drugs for Northern Ireland at a local level. With money allocated from the DHSSPS' New Strategic Direction for Drugs and Alcohol, EDACT has funded a number of services targeting adults, children, parents and families affected by substances misuse which will be up and running from October 2006 until the end of March 2008. Services for Adults
Services for Families and Young People
Services for the Community
Training Initiatives
Issue 11 (Oct 2006) of EDACT's Newsletter gives an in-depth overview of each of these services and is available to download from the Publication section of www.edact.org. The EHSSB continues to fund a number of statutory based drug and alcohol treatment services throughout the EHSSB area. Furthermore, there are a number of subgroups within EDACT where members look at specific issues under the themes of prevention, treatment, children's services, homelessness, etc. Staff also meet regularly with local police and attend meetings of the local drugs and alcohol forums for information sharing purposes. EDACT also links in with the Community Safety (on issues such as the night time economy, tackling anti-social behaviour, etc) and Investing for Health Partnerships re: joint funding and joint working initiatives wherever possible.
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For further information on this topic please contact us at publichealth@ehssb.n-i.nhs.uk Eastern Health and Social Services Board Champion
House, 12-22 Linenhall Street, Belfast BT2 8BS Telephone: (028)
9032 1313 Fax: (028) 9055 3681 Text Phone:(028) 9032 4980 Website:
www.ehssb.org
E-mail: pr@ehssb.n-i.nhs.uk |
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