ABERDEENCITY ALCOHOL AND DRUGS PARTNERSHIP
Meeting held Monday10 February 2014 at 10am
at Summerfield House, Aberdeen
Present:Richard Carey, Chief Executive, NHSG
Liz Taylor, Director of Social Care & Wellbeing, ACC
Councillor Marie Boulton
Councillor Fraser Forsyth
Linda Smith, Public Health, City CHP
Carina Ebdy,Temporary Chair, Drugs, Alcohol & BBV Forum
Joyce Duncan, Chief Executive, ACVO
Christopher Littlejohn, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, NHSG
Lisa Watson, Finance Manager, NHSG (for agenda item 13)
Clark Paterson, Grampian Finance Manager, NHSG (for agenda item 13)
Chief Inspector George MacDonald, Police Scotland (for Sharon Milton)
Carolanne, AiR
Sandy Kelman, Team Leader,Aberdeen City ADP
Simon Rayner, Development Manager for Integrated Services
Fraser Hoggan, Development Officer AberdeenCity ADP
Frank McLean, Information Officer, Aberdeen City ADP
Heather Wilson, Health Improvement Officer, Aberdeen City ADP
In Attendance:Tanja Mehrer,Grampian Family Support Development Officer
Marka Rifkit,Corporate Comms
- Welcome
Richard Carey welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were given.
- Apologies:
Tom Cowan, Head of Adult Services, ACC
Superintendent Sharon Milton, Police Scotland
Paul Geddes, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
Aileen Davidson, Civic Forum
Councillor Jim Kiddie
- Unapproved Minute of Meeting 11 November 2014
The minute was accepted as an accurate record.
- Matters Arising
4.1 ADP Constitution
Sandy Kelman tabled a paper on the ADP Constitution and said that this item had been deferred from the meeting on 11 November 2014. The paper explained that the Scottish Government had previously given clear guidance on NHS and Local Authorities and their roles within ADP’s.
Sandy Kelman also spoke to papers (agenda items 4.2 (a) & (b) ) relating toCommunity Planning which also had relevance to the constitution and said that the ADP had been invited to attend the newly established Community Planning Aberdeen Reference Group. He said that he had already attended one meeting on behalf of the ADP.
Richard Carey asked if anyone would want to be a representative at the Community Planning Meeting Reference Group. As nobody volunteered Sandy Kelman said that he would continue to attend on behalf of the ADP.
Richard Carey said he had met with Sharon Milton to discuss the constitution and the ADP membership. This included discussion onthe appropriateness of commissioned third sector service providers attending ADP meetings when there are ongoing commissioning processes. He said that his initial view was that the meeting should be open to whoever has an interest and wants to attend. He had however considered this further and could now understand why it is not necessarily appropriate for commissioned services to be represented directly on the ADP especially when ACVO represents the third sector.
Richard Carey also said that Sharon Milton had suggested that a Commissioning Finance Subgroup be put in place to report back to the full ADP as a mechanism for getting over some of this problem.
Discussion then took place about areaswhich should be represented at the ADP.
Richard Carey asked Tanja Mehrer if she would be willing to represent families/carers until a representative is found. Tanja Mehrer said she was willing to take this on.
Councillor Marie Boulton suggested that representation should also come from Education. Liz Taylor said that she would speak to the ACC Director of Education, Culture and Sport about this.
Richard Carey suggested contacting HMP Grampian to see if they would be sending a representative to the meeting. Fraser Forsyth suggested a link with parole services could be beneficial.
It was agreed that Sandy Kelman will redraft the constitution and will send around the members of the group for feedback and will then take final copy to the next ADP meeting.
4.2
a)Letter from Alison Swanson regarding ADP representation on the Community Planning Aberdeen Reference Group.
b)Role and remit of the Community Planning Aberdeen Reference Group
These items were covered under agenda item 4.1.
ACTION – Sandy Kelman to attend Community Planning Reference Group
Meetings on behalf of the ADP
Sandy Kelman to contact HMP Grampian
Sandy Kelman to redraft constitution
5. Presentation – Scottish Families affected by Alcohol & Drugs, Tanja Mehrer
Tanja Mehrer gave a presentation to the group regarding “Focusing on Families – Improving responses and support”.
Tanja Mehrer said she has now been carrying out her role for six months and that it covers the whole of Grampian. She expressed her thanks for the welcome and support she has received from the ADP. She explained that her role as Grampian Family Support Development Officer has two key areas:
- To develop, maintain and deliver a range of family support services in Grampian for people affected by someone else’s alcohol or drug misuse; to ensure that the specific needs of individuals and family members are met; and to offer advice and guidance to services and commissioning bodies such as ADP’s to improve local support for families affected by alcohol and drugs
- To offer information, support and assistance to existing family support groups in the region and to those who want to start a new support group in their area; to provide information and signposting to individual family members; to help family members gain access to existing support; to assist Grampian Family Support Forum and to advocate on behalf of families.
Tanja said that over the last six months in her role she has covered:
- Consultations with family members, support groups, and specialist substance misuse services, ADP team, community groups, generic health and social care services.
- Service mapping
- Grampian Family Support Survey
- Raised overdose and Naloxone awareness
- Capacity building support to a peer support group
- Provision of information and signposting individuals to services
- Workforce training on understanding and supporting families in recovery
She said that 3 in 5 individuals are impacted by someone else’s drug use and that family members are often left struggling. She spoke of the SFAD online survey and the responses received. She also informed the group of the SFAD/ADP conference being held on 30 May 2014 which will be funded by the ADP.
Richard Carey spoke of the City GP clusters and suggested contacting lead GPs. Linda Smith said that she would speak to Tanja Mehrer outside of the meeting regarding this. Sandy Kelman said that he will circulate information about the conference.
ACTION – Sandy Kelman to circulate information about the conference
6.ADP Tasking & Coordinating Group
6.1Quarterly Performance Report – drugs
Simon Rayner spoke aboutthe Government’s target for Naloxone. Naloxone kits are being distributed but it is unlikely that we will meet the Scottish Government target for this year.
6.2Quarterly Performance Report – Alcohol
The content of the report was noted.
7.Scottish Government
7.1Update from Scottish Government ADP Chairs meeting held on 15.01.14
Sharon Milton attended this meeting on behalf of Richard Carey. Although she was not present at the ADP meeting she had given an update. This indicated that the Government is of the opinion that things need to be stronger on recovery and on how all Scottish ADPs measure this.
This feedback let to discussion on the ADP “Key Aim Statement” which the Scottish Government had asked for following the publication of the ORT Report.
Following this discussion it was agreed that the ADP “Key Aim Statement” be reviewed at the Tasking and Co-ordinating Group for further discussion.
Action – ADP Tasking & Co-ordinating Group to further consider the
the ADP Key Aim Statement
7.2Feedback from Scottish Government on ADP annual report
The letter of feedback received from the Scottish Government on 16 January 2014 was tabled. The ADP noted the feedback which is generally positive.
7.3Drug and alcohol delivery bulletin – January 2014
The Scottish Government bulletin was tabled for the members information.
8.Drugs Issues
8.1New Psychoactive Substances
The ADP noted the the recently published Home Office Guidance on tackling NPS.
Sandy Kelman spoke about the pan Grampian NPS Group which to date has had 2 meetings. It was further noted that the Home Office is currently carrying out a consultation on legislative options around NPS. Sandy Kelman said that he had spoken to Scottish Government Officials about this. It is unsure at present how the ADP can feed into this consultation.
8.2Drug Death Newsletter – December 2013
The content of this newsletter was noted by ADP members.
8.3 Response to Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
regarding (MHRA)
The ADP noted the joint Grampian response which had been submitted. The ADP supports the proposition that regulation should be amended to allow family members to be prescribed Naloxone.
9Alcohol issues
9.1Alcohol Task Group
Fraser Hoggan informed the group that although Paul Geddes, Scottish Fire and Rescue will now sit as the representative at the ADP main meeting he will not take over the role of the chair of the Alcohol Task Group following the departure of Garry Burnett. Fraser Hoggan will liaise with other partners to establish who will take on this role. The re-arrangement of the proposed ADP Alcohol Event will be put on hold until the chair is decided.
9.2 Alcohol services – Commissing Issues
Simon Rayner reported that the commissioning process for provision of third sector alcohol services is progressing, albeit it is slightly behind schedule.
9.3 Correspondence from Scottish Government re Alcohol Brief Interventions
Chris Littlejohn explained that the Scottish Government have confirmed that the ABI HEAT standard will continue for 2014 – 15. The Scottish Government has indicated however that it is anticipated that it will be the final year of the HEAT standard. Thereafter the expectation is that ABI will be embedded into routine practice. The group then discussed GP involvement and the need to be in discussion with cluster leads and GP’s.
9.4.Safer, Healthier & More Responsible Programme evaluation
Fraser Hoggan said that this programme which fitted in with the Healthier Works Lives Schemewas put in place through theprevious use of non recurring ADP money. There have been a total of 5 events over the last 2 years. Part of the programme involved provision of alcohol related education to employers, including employee related legal issues. Feedback had been very positive. Alcohol Focus Scotland acknowledged the programme which aligns to best practice.
Alcohol Focus has since invited members of the ADP support team to an event around alcohol in the workplace in March 2014.
10.Children & Young People Issues
10.1Update from CPC
Liz Taylor informed that she has just take over chair of the ACC Child Protection Group. She said that they need to take stock of where they are and where they need to interface.
Liz Taylor spoke of issues arising out of the Childrens and Young Persons bill which will impact on adult services i.e. having a “named person” and also of the transition from children to adult services. There needs to be some protocols to reassure staff. Liz Taylor will bring back updates to future meetings.
11.Criminal Justice Issues
11.1 Scottish Government report on redesigning Community Justice
This paper from the Scottish Government was tabled for the information of the ADP bearing in mind that the ADP needs to have links to Community Justice. Councillor Fraser Forsyth said that this was a useful paper and was glad of the Scottish Government response.
11.2HMP & YOI
Although there was no representative from the Scottish Prison Service, Simon Rayner was able to say that NHS Grampian was actively planning for the opening of the new prison.
12.Update from partners
12.1AiR – Aberdeen in Recovery
Carolann updated the group on the activity at the AiRHub which has been in operation at the VSA Young Carers at the Castlegate since 4 October 2013. She said that since opening, around 70 individuals have used the service, which included 10 professionals.
There were on average 12 in regular attendance at the Hub in December 2013 and this number has now grown to be in the 20’s. There has been a increasing variety of activities on offer.
The Scottish Recovery Consortium is to run a “RecoveryCollege” in Aberdeen in 2014. The college’s aim is to introduce those in recovery to becoming activists’ i.e. carrying a message and building recovery communities or enhancing recovery communities that they are already involved in. The college will be held over the course of 5 weeks beginning 5 March 2014 and ends with a graduation ceremony. Carolann said at this point there have been 11 applications with spaces limited to a maximum of 20. She said that they hoped someone from the ADP would be available for the RecoveryCollege graduation day. Sandy Kelman said he would make enquiries about Richard Carey’s diary for his availability.
Tanja Mehrer is now involved with the Hub and family members have given feedback that the Hub is a welcoming and safe environment.
Carolann said that activities planned for 2014 involve holding another “conversation café” and AiR members have met up with the ADP Support Team to start the planning for this.
12.2AberdeenCity Drugs, Alcohol & BBV Forum
Carina Ebdy spoke of 20 people attending a recent Forum meeting, which involved Stuart Reid, from ACC gave a presentation on welfare rights. The next meeting will cover welfare applications which a lot of services are helping clients with.
12.3 Other partners
Councillor Marie Boulton said that an additional Licensing Standard Office has been appointed by ACC.
13.Finance
Clark Paterson and Lisa Watson were present for this agenda item and spoke to the tabled paper.
It was noted that Lisa Watson has taken on the role vacated by Neil Whyte.
The ADP noted the financial situation and the proposals for spending non recurring money accumulated over the current financial year.
14.AOCB
Date of next meeting:
Monday 12th May 2014
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