Government Offices are working with regional partners to deliver the Government’s National Drug Strategy, via both Drugs Action Teams and the Drugs Intervention Programme.
More information on the national picture
Drugs
Regional key areas of work include:
- early identification and substance misuse interventions with vulnerable young people and drug information for all young people and their families
- addressing issues around housing and employment and effective community engagement
- more, better and fairer drug treatment
- an integrated approach to cutting drug-related crime
- reduction of drug supply within local communities.
More information on delivery of the National Drug Strategy in the North East.
Alcohol
The National Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England recognised that the provision of alcohol treatment in England was very patchy and that some areas could not provide access to the full range of support needed. Alcohol treatment is currently provided by GPs and specialist addiction services but most of the 500 alcohol treatment services in England are located within the voluntary sector. The North East Council on Addictions is one such organisation, a charity working on substance and alcohol misuse in the region since 1974.
In February 2007 we worked with the North East Regional Alcohol Advisory Group to produce a regional alcohol misuse strategy and action plan.
45 per cent of violent crime in the North East is alcohol related. Figures published by the North East Public Health Observatory in July 2008 showed that:
- in all 23 local authority areas in the North East, the proportion of binge drinkers (those who consume more than twice the daily recommended units in a single drinking session) was among the highest 10 per cent in the country
- in over a third of those areas, the rate of hospital admissions for alcohol related harm was among the highest 10 per cent in the country.
In March 2008, we ran a conference called Raising the Bar – Tackling Alcohol Misuse In the North East. It followed the publication of Safe Sensible Social: Next Steps in the National Alcohol Strategy and enabled partners from across the region to share their experiences in tackling alcohol misuse. More than 200 people from local authorities, the police, voluntary organisations, the NHS, the prison service and probation attended.
In October 2008, we organised another major conference to consider developing a project aimed at reducing alcohol related violence.
More information on delivery of the National Alcohol Strategy in the North East.
Contact information
Public Health
Government Office for the North East
Citygate
Gallowgate
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4WH
tel: 0191 202 3635
fax: 0191 202 3738
email: tracey.sharp@dh.gsi.gov.uk
