Agenda and minutes

It was UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED to appoint Councillor G. Thomas as Chair for the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors A. Davies, T. Higgins, A. James, E.G. Thomas and A. McPherson.

There were no declarations of personal interest.

There were no declarations of prohibited party whips.

The Chair advised that no public questions had been received.

The Chair welcomed, to the meeting, Ms Ros Jervis, Director of Public Health and Ms Joanna Dainton, Head of Commissioning and Partnership Strategy Development (Drug & Alcohol Misuse) of the Hywel Dda University Health Board.

The Committee considered the Area Planning Board report on Drug and Alcohol Misuse Annual Report 2017 which covered a range of areas, serving to inform members and update them on current commissioning arrangements and the provision of substance misuse services. Information was included on

·       the strategic objectives regarding the provision of such services, the funding arrangements and services/projects commissioned;

·       local developments and confirmation of the governance and planning arrangements in place on a regional basis.

The following queries were raised on the report:-

·       Reference was made to the achievements made during 2017 which included the distribution of 397 Naloxone kits.  It was asked who the naloxone kits had been provided to.  Furthermore, it was commented that it could be beneficial to raise the awareness of naloxone and its purpose this could be achieved by rolling out the Naloxone roadshow throughout the county and providing training to door supervisors of pubs/clubs. The Director of Public Health explained that Naloxone was a medication used to block the effects of opioids, especially in cases of an overdose and that kits had been distributed widely.  She acknowledged that raising awareness would be beneficial and would consider widening the training programme in the future. The Head of Commissioning and Partnership Strategy Development (Drug & Alcohol Misuse) added that Naloxone is already distributed widely throughout the Hywel Dda area.  

·       Strong concern was raised in relation to the increasing number of young people that have issues in connection with alcohol and drugs and it was hoped that the direction of travel was to try to eradicate issues not just ‘paper over the cracks’.  The Director of Public Health acknowledged that this was a challenging area and that continuous research was being undertaken to ensure the right services were being commissioned.  The Area Planning Board comprised of multi-agencies, all of which have a responsibility to tackle the complexity of issues that is presented.  This incorporated treatment services which provide a holistic approach and a dual group which supports and navigates challenging issues in relation to mental health and addiction.

Furthermore, the Director of Public Health explained to the Committee that intelligence has revealed that alcohol dependency was not just limited to young persons, it was found to affect a wide range of ages including older age groups. Education, prevention and early intervention work were key areas of focus for the Board which was essential in order to reduce alcohol dependencies.  The Head of Commissioning and Partnership Strategy Development added that the Area Planning Board would be undertaking exercises to commission services within education sector in schools and colleges.

·       With regard to the Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015 and the 5 ways of working, it was asked, if there any collaborative working with the third sector and communities?  The Head of Commissioning and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The Committee considered the Substance Misuse Service Annual Report 2016-17 which outlined the objectives for the forthcoming year.

The report provided statistical information on a range of different referral categories and breakdown of data in relation to age, gender and substances used.

The following queries were raised on the report:-

·       In response to a query raised regarding homelessness caused by alcohol/drugs dependency, the Senior Manager-Complex Needs and Transition stated that there were close links with homelessness and alcohol/drug use which had been considered and included within Homelessness Strategy.

·       With regard to rehabilitation, it was asked, if the ‘dry house’ project was working? The Senior Manager-Complex Needs and Transition explained to the Committee that the project, based in Ty Croes, was a 5 bedroom property, specifically aimed to assist individuals who were on a journey of recovery by providing specialist advice within a supportive environment and that there had been a number of success stories in relation to the project.

·       In response to a query raised regarding alcohol and drug related brain damage, the Senior Manager-Complex Needs and Transition stated that whilst there was evidence to suggest that there was a link between alcohol and people developing cognitive difficulties leading to dementia in later life, there was no real evidence to suggest a link between drug use and brain damage.  However, there could be links with drug use and the possible impact on mental health.

·       With regard to the introduction of a minimum unit price on alcohol in Scotland the Director of Public Health informed the Committee that the Welsh Government were committed to adopt a unit pricing structure within Wales and that it was hoped a formal sign off would take place this summer followed by a 2 year implementation phase.

·       A query was raised regarding the Drug Aid Bus and how much it was utilised. The Director of Public Health stated that as the bus was owned by DDAS she would be happy to make enquiries and provide figures to the Committee.

 UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the report be received.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Joint Environment and Public Protection and Social Care and Health Scrutiny Committee held on the 26^th September 2016 be signed as a correct record.