New measures to tackle substance misuse among older people in Wales

A new plan to tackle the harms caused by ‘legal highs’ and risky drinking behaviours by older people has been unveiled by the Welsh Government.

The three-year ‘Working together to reduce harm: Delivery plan 2016 – 2018’ sets out how the Welsh Government, the NHS and other organisations will tackle the impact of substance misuse, including continuing to reduce the number of drug and alcohol-related deaths.

The new plan focuses on a number of key measures, including raising awareness of the potentially lethal consequences of using new psychoactive substances – more commonly known as ‘legal highs’; steroid and image enhancing drugs and risky drinking behaviours by older people.

The 2014-15 crime survey for Wales and England reported that around one in 40 young people aged 16 to 24 took a psychoactive substance in the last year – equivalent to 174,000 people. Around 279,000 people aged 16 to 59 took a psychoactive substance during the same period.

The plan also sets out measures to reduce the stigma of those looking for help with their substance misuse issues.

The latest statistics show there has been a 30% reduction in drug-related deaths in Wales since since 2010 – in stark contrast to the trend elsewhere in the UK. There has also been a reduction in the number of alcohol-related deaths. Waiting times for people accessing treatment services over the last five years have also improved.

The plan also covers initiatives to:

•     Reduce the inappropriate use of prescription-only medicines and over-the-counter medicines
•     Reduce the transmission of blood borne viruses among people with substance misuse issues
•     Ensure appropriate referrals are made quickly to substance misuse services from primary and secondary care services and other relevant professionals
•     Ensure people with alcohol-related brain damage are supported effectively
•     Prevent homelessness and help people with substance misuse problems sustain tenancies
•     Ensure substance misuse co-occurring with mental health problems is managed effectively
•     Increase the availability of recovery-oriented substance misuse services
•     Improve the long-term outcomes of those affected by substance misuse through access to employment and education.

Deputy Minister for Health Vaughan Gething said: “The widespread use and misuse of alcohol, drug and other psychoactive substances are major health and social concerns which affect the lives of many people and families.

“The social and health impact of drugs and alcohol are preventable and manageable with the right education and treatment interventions.

“Your views are important to us so that we can ensure the significant investment we make to support this agenda is effective in improving the lives of individuals affected by substance misuse, their families and wider communities.”

The plan is subject to a 12 week consultation, and will end on 30 March 2016.

This year (2015-16), the Welsh Government is investing almost £50m in programmes to tackle drug and alcohol abuse to reduce the harm caused by substance misuse.