Agenda item

Report of Strategy and Commissioning Manager, Crime and Drugs Partnership

Christine Oliver, Strategy and Commissioning Manager, presented the report updating the Board on the review of the Young People’s Substance Misuse system, the implementation of the new Young People’s Specialist Substance Misuse service, the Young Peoples Substance Misuse Treatment Services performance and the implications of budget proposals for young people’s substance misuse.

The following points were highlighted to the Board:

(a)  the Review found that whilst there were key strengths in both the current young people’s substance misuse system and the wider universal systems and services, both systems were fragmented resulting in potential missed opportunities for early interventions;

(b)  key strengths include:

·  the City has a specialist substance misuse system established for young people;

·  there are a range of good tailored interventions offered;

·  parents and carers are involved where possible to ensure a family and person centred

approach;

·  services have an holistic approach to care plans and work and involve other relevant  agencies;

·  there are some strong foundations in place to help shape a future model.

(c)  there is evidence of the following areas for improvement;

·  potential confusion around services and what they provide;

·  accessibility to information about services;

·  potential gaps in the current system;

·  the need to more fully consult with young people to drive the service planning and delivery;

·  to enhance partnership working under the wider health and wellbeing and early intervention and prevention programmes;

·  improved links to the safeguarding agenda through contract management;

·  opportunities to utilise existing assets within the City and additional external funding.

(d)  the review findings, recommendations and actions present a good opportunity to link the

  substance misuse system and wider young peoples’ provision, working towards a more efficient and effective system. All of the actions and recommendations identified are achievable through good partnership working and a lead driver for the changes to continue to take place;

(e)  recommendations from the prevalence section of the Review include:

·  continuing to develop and implement a partnership consultation programme;

·  sharing data and findings across services to help better inform delivery, planning,  monitoring and workforce development;

·  increase partnership working;

·  explore better use of technology;

(f)   as part of the review, a number of options were considered for the future model of young peoples’ substance misuse. These included the option to make some changes to the existing model to increase the focus on early intervention and prevention then to tender the specialist service. To fulfil the recommendations of the review the service specification included the need to support to the wider children and young peoples’ workforce, to increase knowledge and skills in identifying substance use and misuse and in delivering lower threshold interventions. This has the longer term aim of freeing up the service to deliver specialist treatment only to those that need it, thus reducing the cost of a service over the time. A competitive tender process took place over the summer of 2014. The successful bidder was Lifeline. Their new service, Lifeline Journey, commenced November 3rd 2014. Lifeline also delivers Explore Family in the city, a support service for carers, children and families affected by another’s substance misuse;

(g)  the key performance figures for young people’s substance abuse for Quarter 1 are;

·  216 young people in specialist treatment of which 32 were new presentations in the quarter. Locally numbers in treatment are down by 9% compared to 2%Nationally;

·  referrals from both children and family services and education services have decreased by 7%/13% respectively over the last year whereas they have remained constant nationally

(g)  key risks to the CYPP relate to the recommendations of the review not being delivered e.g. if data is not improved and utilised it may not be possible to get an accurate reflection of the cohort and their wider vulnerabilities resulting in being to fully meet their needs. If partnership working is not continued and built upon across the wider young people’s agenda it will not be possible to reduce vulnerability collectively. Another key risk is the financial risk of reducing funding which may result in young peoples substance misuse needs not being fully met;

(h)  the Young People’s Substance Misuse system is jointly funded by Public Health, Police and Crime Commissioner and Nottingham City Council. This funding pays for specialist substance misuse treatment, a prevention programme and a contribution to a young peoples’ dual diagnosis service. Savings from the public health budget have been identified for three years ending 2016/2017. The tendering has enabled saving to contribute to the medium term financial plan. Partnership working will need to continue to enable the specialist service to focus on specialist treatment only over the next 12 months.

RESOLVED to note the report.