SERVICES
COMMISSIONING
QUALITY
The new national substance misuse commissioner
forum will play a vital role in responding to future
challenges, say Chris Lee and Prof Jim McManus
Even through these
unprecedented times,
councils are absolutely
committed to ensuring
that people seeking
help with substance misuse get
the right treatment and support, as
part of their public health and other
wider responsibilities. This includes
helping vulnerable people being
given another chance to find work,
rebuild relationships, improve their
physical and mental health and find
safe and secure accommodation.
But more must be done. Only
a fifth of dependent drinkers are
‘Only a fifth
of dependent
drinkers are
currently
accessing
treatment....
Councils know
more needs to
be done in close
collaboration with
local partners to
ensure everyone
gets the support
they need
wherever possible.’
currently accessing treatment,
while the success rates of drug
services vary five-fold from place to
place. What’s more, new threats are
emerging all the time – one only
needs to look at the drug-related
death statistics to see that. We
must not be complacent. Councils
know more needs to be done in
close collaboration with local
partners to ensure everyone gets
the support they need wherever
possible.
The COVID-19 emergency comes
after a lengthy period of financial
and policy upheaval for the drug
and alcohol sector. For example,
those of us in local government
have long argued that reductions to
councils’ public health grant – used
to fund drug and alcohol prevention
and treatment services – is a false
economy that will only compound
acute pressures for criminal justice,
NHS and social care services further
down the line.
The Local Government
Association (LGA) and the
Association of Directors of Public
Health (ADPH) have jointly agreed
to support the establishment of
a national forum for substance
misuse commissioners in England.
While there are strong regional
support networks across England,
coordinated by Public Health
England regional teams, the
purpose of this new forum is to
provide a strategic national space
in which to bring together those
with commissioning responsibility
in local government, and enable a
representative commissioner voice.
With many people currently
finding new ways to work, this
development will be a timely
Key objectives
To support the development of good practice and effective
commissioning approaches
To enable commissioners to share information, intelligence,
challenges, ideas, and to support problem-solving
To represent commissioner views on relevant current and
emerging policy and strategy
To influence legislation and policy at a local, regional and
national level
To enable national representation of substance misuse
commissioners in relation to other sector organisations.
opportunity adding structure and
support around the alcohol and
drug agenda in England. It will
provide a dedicated space to address
the issues and concerns of those
commissioning substance misuse
related services and the opportunity
to share ideas and experience or
even just support colleagues.
‘The new national network
comes at an important time,’
said director of public health at
Hertfordshire County Council,
Prof Jim McManus. ‘Bringing
commissioners together to learn
and share good practice is core to
the improvement ethos of local
government known as sector-led
improvement, and will seek to bring
some structured support to an area
which has been neglected in recent
years. Part of this will be ensuring
we develop the best possible
services and best commissioning
practices. This is just one plank of
ensuring we have a response to
drug and alcohol issues and the
need of our populations. But it is an
important plank.’
With physical meetings unlikely
to happen for the foreseeable
future, the intention is to initially
develop an online forum to
bring people together and use
Knowledge Hub as a central
platform – it’s hoped we can
physically bring people together at
a future date!
Chris Lee is a public health
specialist at Lancashire County
Council
Prof Jim McManus is director
of public health at Hertfordshire
County Council
While planning is at an early stage, we would welcome
expressions of interest to join this emerging forum. If you
have any ideas to support this development or wish to register
interest in joining, please contact: [email protected]
WWW.DRINKANDDRUGSNEWS.COM JUNE 2020 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • 11