Sunday, July 29, 2007

plus ca change....

so I leave the country for a few months and return to find an updated alcohol strategy for England (where did that come from? must be the only commitment in AHRSE that was delivered in spades and on time), and a new team in charge (not entirely unexpected).

still no sign of the Trailblazer pilots starting though. wonder what odds Ladbrokes would give on the research findings being delivered to the latest revised schedule set in Safe Social Sensible?

whose title sounds more like a condom strategy, it must be said.


the government's new alcohol team:

Dawn Primarolo (ex Treasury) replaces Caroline Flint as Public Health minister. According to Dept of Health:
"in this role, she has responsibility for health improvement and health protection issues including such areas as tobacco, obesity, drugs and sexual health"

why mention specifically drugs here and not alcohol, when this government has never really seen drug misuse as a public health issue, and alcohol is a Choosing Health priority where drugs is not? although, it's consistent with Dept of Health's recent consultation on health and well-being outcomes that managed somehow to exclude alcohol (and include drugs).


ho hum..perhaps the Dept of Health has finally bowed to the inevitable and given the lead to the Home Office. Because here we find a new team for alcohol, but it's complicated...
the Crime Reduction and Community Safety Group has within it the Crime and Drug Strategy Directorate, which contains a unit nearly all to ourselves! Yes, the Anti-social Behaviour and Alcohol Unit, lead by one Ziggy MacDonald. Vernon Coaker remains the politician in charge.

"The Anti-Social Behaviour and Alcohol Unit is responsible for developing Home Office policy on anti-social behaviour and the misuse of alcohol within England and Wales.

We take forward the government's target to reduce the perception of anti-social behaviour, which is measured by the British Crime Survey.

The Alcohol Strategy is jointly owned by the Home Office and the Department of Health. Our work on alcohol also contributes to related targets on violent crime and criminal damage. This involves working closely with front-line practitioners and other government departments.

The unit also links with the Respect Taskforce in the Department for Children, Schools and Families."

The italics are mine. I don't know any fellow front-line practitioners who have been worked closely with by this Unit; do you dear reader? Ziggy, feel free to get in touch.

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