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Prevention and education

Schools have responded to escalating problems of alcohol misuse through increasing the emphasis on alcohol education and looking for creative and interactive ways to engage young people in a discussion about the consequences of harmful drinking.  Currently, there is no local coordinated response to prevention for adults in Newcastle. Although certain agencies have developed responses to particular groups, there is no agreed or coherent preventative approach

Newcastle City Council's School Drug and Alcohol Advisor provide curriculum support and alcohol education sessions. They also offer support for school staff in managing alcohol-related incidents and provide training for staff.

D'n'A is Safe Newcastle's drug and alcohol service. It provides targeted prevention and early intervention work with young people to the age of 19.

Streetwise (voluntary sector) provides counselling for young people up to the age of 25 and a drop-in service for advice on drugs, alcohol, sexual health and mental health issues.

General Practitioners provide information and assess and refer patients to specialist agencies.

Tyneside Cyrenians (voluntary sector) provide a range of services and projects that include education and prevention messages (see section 3.2 on adult treatment).

Northumbria Probation Service works with offenders involved in alcohol-related offending in a number of ways including:

• Alcohol Module of Citizen Programme: a one-to-one intervention designed to  address all aspects of alcohol related offending;
• Addressing Substance Related Offending (ASRO): an accredited group work programme designed to help individuals move away from drug and alcohol addictions; and
• Drink Impaired Driving (DIDs): an accredited group work programme for individuals who drink and drive.
• North East Council on Addictions (NECA - voluntary sector) provide support to community groups and carry out some awareness raising

Safe Newcastle's Drug Support Unit has a range of training resources available free of charge and undertake workforce training on alcohol-related issues.

PROPS (voluntary sector) support families and carers who have been affected by substance misuse and many of their clients have been particularly affected by alcohol misuse.

Northumberland Tyne and Wear Mental Health Trust provide in-patient and out-patient detox facilities at the Freeman Hospital and Plummer Court. Plummer Court is a  psychiatrist-led addictions service with Community Psychiatric Nurses, providing a range of  psychological interventions.

NECA (North East Council on Addictions)  provide counselling and alternative therapies for those with alcohol problems.

• Tyneside Cyrenians have several projects in Newcastle:
• Ron Eager House provides day care services for problem drinkers;
• The GAP Project is a project working with sex workers including those with  alcohol problems;
• The ACE Project is an outreach service for chronically excluded people including those with alcohol problems;
• Trading Places offers a peer-led day service to vulnerable adults including alcohol misusers, homeless people and those with mental health problems.

Alcoholics Anonymous - members hold regular meetings in Newcastle: their common goal being to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety.

Adult Social Service Drug and Alcohol Social Work Team provides case management and assessment for residential rehabilitation.

The City Council as the Licensing Authority, has endorsed a number of key strategies to tackle alcohol-related problems in direct response to issues raised by residents, businesses, police and other partners. These have included

•  a proactive test purchasing regime;
• the implementation of Designated Public Places Orders across the city, which allow the police to seize alcohol from adults in the street;
• the endorsement and support for 'Alcohol Watch' schemes and 'Challenge 21'.

In addition to these, the City Council's Licensing Policy 2008-2010 stipulates a number of conditions and tactics to be employed to regulate and influence alcohol-related problems, including sections on the Protection of Children from Harm and the Prevention of Crime and Disorder.

Current Funding

The Primary Care Trust leads the joint commissioning for alcohol services.  The PCT's contribution to the joint commissioning expenditure on alcohol services in  2006/07 was £1,133,840 and the amount budgeted for 2007/08 si £ 1,162,913.