Alcohol – it’s your shout
Representatives from over 20 agencies came together on Wednesday (13 October) to discuss the county’s strategy for combating alcohol related harm.
The event was organised by the Warwickshire Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT), the county’s substance misuse treatment and support commissioning service.
Taking place in the run up to national Alcohol Awareness Week (18-23 October), it offered an opportunity for delegates to find out more about the work taking place across the county and to agree a set of recommendations to strengthen links between agencies.
Keynote speaker Mike Ward from Alcohol Concern set the tone of the day presenting a national picture of alcohol misuse. His speech covered the latest developments in the field, with a focus on minimum unit pricing and measuring success.
Delegates also heard from Dr John Linnane, Director of Public Health, about the consequences of alcohol misuse on health whilst Assistant Chief Constable Neil Brunton from Warwickshire Police explained how alcohol related crime is tackled through policing.
DAAT Manager, Kit Leck said: “This event achieved all our aims and we have come away with a great deal of information to build into the county’s alcohol implementation plan.
"All the agencies involved are truly committed to doing as much as possible to help people get the right information, treatment and support at the right time to beat alcohol addiction.
"Together we will work on priorities including; increasing the provision of early identification and interventions, reducing the health related harms caused by alcohol, and implementing a local response to new licensing legislation once this is produced.
“With the theme of this year’s Alcohol Awareness Week being childhood, we put extra emphasis on discussing education and prevention methods for young people. We are looking at how we incorporate programmes offered through healthy schools, extended services and youth services to offer important advice and opportunities for more positive activities.”
Assistant Chief Constable Neil Brunton from Warwickshire Police said: “Warwickshire Police have significantly reduced the number of life changing injuries linked to alcohol related violence in the night time economy. We have been principal and active partners in the previous partnership alcohol strategy and recognise the importance it plays in protecting the communities of Warwickshire from harm.
“The new strategy will build on our successes and assure we operate in a way that gives the best return on increasing pressures within our communities. As a service we will continue our work with partners to educate and prevent the adverse effects of alcohol emerging in our communities with particular emphasis on young people and links to anti social behaviour."
The implementation plan will aim to tackle some of the health issues associated with excessive alcohol consumption. Warwickshire’s Director of Public Health, John Linnane added: “The misuse of alcohol can have a serious impact on people’s long-term health.
"The body can’t handle a lot of alcohol at once and long-term damage can include heart and liver disease, obesity and stroke. Accidents are also more likely to happen under the influence of alcohol.”
For more information about the event visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/alcoholitsyourshout
To find out more about alcohol support services in Warwickshire visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/alcohol.