Buckinghamshire Drugs and Alcohol Strategy 2023 to 2028

People with drugs and alcohol dependence often live in challenging circumstances. These challenges may be long-standing – children of parents who are alcohol dependent are four times more likely to become dependent drinkers themselves. Children and young people who have been placed under the legal care of local authorities, have a fourfold increased risk of drugs and alcohol use compared to children not in care. Children and vulnerable adults are exploited through coercion and violence by organised criminal networks to transport and distribute illegal drugs across the UK in ‘county lines’ activity. 11 Drugs and alcohol can feature in domestic violence, both for the victim and perpetrator.

This strategy recognises that all aspects of an individual’s life can impact on their likelihood of recovery and sustained recovery. Housing problems, financial insecurity, employment issues and changes to personal relationships, such as bereavement, can destabilise progress. Some communities may be more vulnerable to these issues, such as military veterans. Strengthening personal relationships can facilitate recovery.

The strategy also recognises that drugs and alcohol dependence are long-term conditions and relapses can occur, as they do with physical conditions. Responding effectively and supportively to such relapses will facilitate recovery. Recovery is a personal journey moving towards freedom from dependence with improved wellbeing and increased personal and social responsibility.

• 1 in 4 children in need assessments identify adult drug misuse and 1 in 4 children in need assessments identify adult alcohol misuse as contributing factors in Buckinghamshire, both being higher than nationally
  
• Half of adults entering drug or alcohol treatment in Buckinghamshire are unemployed
  
• Nearly 2 in 3 serving military personnel drink at levels which may harm their health (more than 14 units per week) nationally
  
• Half of adults entering drug treatment in Buckinghamshire have an identified need for mental health treatment

Promote the active use of the Family and Carers Service available to support those who are impacted by someone’s drugs or alcohol misuse

Lead Agency: Adult Drugs and Alcohol Treatment Service (One Recovery Bucks)

Increase the support for children at risk of offending and exploitation through additional youth worker capacity

Lead Agency: Buckinghamshire Council – Youth Offending Service and the Missing and Exploitation Hub

Support school leaders to ensure their staff can recognise signs of county lines and child criminal exploitation and know how

to report concerns

Lead Agencies: Buckinghamshire Council – Education

Improve the early identification and support delivered to people at risk of exploitation who are in contact with the police through staff training

and better use of risk and vulnerability markers on the police computer system

Lead Agency: Thames Valley Police

Increase the number of sentenced people housed on release from prison

Lead Agency: Probation

Prevent and reduce rough sleeping through enhanced outreach and specialist support plus increased accommodation options linked to

Buckinghamshire Council’s Homelessness Strategy and the national Rough Sleeper Initiative

Lead Agency: Buckinghamshire Council – Housing

Develop processes to record whether patients are a military veteran, to enable the planning of more tailored support services

Lead Agency: Integrated Care Board and Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

Embed a culture of joint working between the adult drugs and alcohol service provider and the community mental health service provider

Lead Agency: Adult Drugs and Alcohol Treatment Service (One Recovery Bucks) and Community Mental Health Provider (Oxford Health)

Strengthen the mental health support for vulnerable people being released from prison through the ‘Reconnect’ project which helps people to access the community services they may need

Lead Agency: Probation

Increase the number accessing tier four (inpatient and residential) drugs and alcohol treatment towards the national target by identifying needs and preparing appropriate clients earlier – providing the change of environment and multidisciplinary care some need to recover

Lead Agencies: Buckinghamshire Council – Integrated Commissioning and Adult Drugs and Alcohol Treatment Service (One Recovery Bucks)