Agenda item

This report presents a ‘deep dive’ into reducing alcohol consumption, alcohol related harm to adults and treatment of alcohol use disorder across Kent and Medway.

Discussion:

The Director of Public Health for Medway introduced the report which provided a deep dive into reducing alcohol consumption, alcohol related harm to adults and treatment of alcohol use disorder across Kent and Medway. He explained that the impact of substance misuse was far reaching and had wider societal impacts, in addition to impacts to the person who consumed the alcohol and their families.

The Health Improvement Manager, Medway Council drew the Joint Board’s attention to key trends in relation to alcohol consumption and its impact. These were provided in detail within section 2 of the report. He explained that the evidence and data showed a good picture across Kent and Medway. For example, the data showed that with respect to alcohol related hospital admissions, both Kent and Medway had fewer admissions than the England average, in addition, the years of life lost due to alcohol were less than the England average. With respect to the measure, successful completion of alcohol treatment, both Kent and Medway had a higher percentage of successful completions than the England average.

Referring to areas where further intervention was required it was noted that there was a variation across districts where harms were generally more marked in disadvantaged communities. In addition, further work was required to support individuals with co-occurring conditions for example problematic substance use was one of the most common co-morbid conditions among people with a major mental illness.

It was considered that a whole system approach was required to reduce alcohol consumption. Factors relevant to this aim and existing interventions were highlighted to the Joint Board and were set out in section 3 of the report.

Members raised a number of points and questions, including:

Licencing – In response to a question concerning the relationship between licensed premises opening hours and the impact on alcohol consumption, the Joint Board was advised that negative issues tended to occur after premises closed, therefore staggered closing hours in a locality could cause difficulties for the Police.

Children and young people – In response to a question concerning encouraging children and young people away from alcohol, the Joint Board was advised that there was a declining trend in alcohol consumption amongst young people in comparison to adults who had more disposable income to purchase alcohol. It was recognised that action needed to be taken to prevent access and harm to children and young people from substance misuse.

Type of drinking – Clarification was sought on factors influencing the relationship between the type of drinking (lower risk drinking to severe dependence and complex drinking) and the number of alcohol units consumed. It was noted that severity of likely harms could be very different, even if the same amount of alcohol was consumed. In response, it was explained that individuals in more disadvantaged communities might experience greater harms than others drinking the same amount of alcohol because there was a greater availability of poor quality alcohol and higher levels of stress (cortisol) within these communities, which might influence the harm experienced. It was added a number of chemicals had been found in poor quality/ cheap drinks which were more likely to cause liver damage.

Decision:

The Kent and Medway Joint Health and Wellbeing Board considered the report and provided their support for:

a)    promotion of collaborative working between organisations (including Public Health, Licensing, Police, Trading Standards, Planning and Regeneration) to limit availability and minimise the social impact of High Strength / Low Cost Alcohol.

b)    a call for the Co-Occurring (Dual Diagnosis) protocols between Substance Misuse Treatment Services, Mental Health Services and Primary Care to be updated, reissued and a mechanism be put in place to measure their use.