RE: ADVISORY PANEL ON SUBSTANCE MISUSE - REVIEW OF THE POLICY INTERVENTIONS NEEDED TO TACKLE SUBSTANCE MISUSE IN AN AGEING POPULATION

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1 Y Panel Cynghori ar Gamddefnyddio Sylweddau Advisory Panel on Substance Misuse To: See Distribution List Eich Cyf/Your Ref: Ein Cyf/Our Ref: 30 th January 2015 Dear Colleague, RE: ADVISORY PANEL ON SUBSTANCE MISUSE - REVIEW OF THE POLICY INTERVENTIONS NEEDED TO TACKLE SUBSTANCE MISUSE IN AN AGEING POPULATION The Advisory Panel on Substance Misuse (APoSM) is an independent expert Welsh Government Sponsored Body, which advises on the delivery of the Welsh Governments Substance Misuse Strategy, on substance misuse issues, operational arrangements and the impact of policy development in related fields. The Minister for Health and Social Services has asked APoSM to review the policy interventions needed to tackle substance misuse in an ageing population. The Welsh Government defines older people as those aged 50 and over and for consistency purposes this review will also focus on those aged 50 and over. As part of this work, APoSM is seeking written evidence from a wide range of interested parties across Wales, as our report will focus on the Welsh experience. In particular we would like to hear from substance misuse services, GPs and other primary care practitioners, secondary care clinicians, commissioners and service planners alike, Criminal Justice Practitioners (including, Police, Prison and Probation), and temporary and permanent accommodation providers (including hostels, refuges, day shelters, residential care homes, foster placements, rehabilitation, private rented sector etc.). We are looking to understand your experience of the problem and the scale of the issues you encounter. Most importantly we wish to uncover any examples of good practice; where referral pathways are in place and what are the difficulties and/or barriers to treating substance misuse in an ageing population. Merthyr Tydfil Office / Swyddfa Merthyr Tudful, Rhydycar/Rhyd-y-car, Merthyr Tydfil/Merthyr Tudful CF48 1UZ Ffôn Tel APoSM@wales.gsi.gov.uk Gwefan website:

2 As a key stakeholder in this area, APoSM would like to invite you to submit written evidence as part of this review. I should be grateful if you would please submit your written evidence to Daryl Kent at: daryl.kent@wales.gsi.gov.uk by no later than Tuesday 24 th February It would be helpful if you would complete the questions in the template at Annex A as part of your written evidence, tailoring your evidence to a local Welsh perspective wherever possible. Please note both individual and organisational views are welcome. The Membership of APoSM s Substance Misuse in an Ageing Population sub-committee is listed at Annex B. Further details about APoSM can be found at; As part of the review, an oral evidence gathering day is also scheduled for Tuesday 24 th March 2015 in the Welsh Government Buildings, Cathays Park, Cardiff and subject to receipt of written evidence, some individuals/organisations will be invited to present their evidence in person. As such I would be grateful if you would provisionally hold this date in your diary. I thank you for your assistance in this matter and look forward to receiving your written evidence. Yours sincerely, Kyrie James Substance Misuse in Ageing People Sub-Committee Chair Enc:

3 Annex A APoSM is interested in identifying the factors that should be considered when making recommendations to improve services designed to prevent initiation or escalation of substance misuse and/or support engagement and treatment for older people with substance misuse issues. As such, your views and experience are extremely valuable to the compilation of our report for the Minister and will be appreciated. Definitions: For the purpose of this review, we consider an older person to be anyone aged 50 years and older. When responding to the questions below, it would be helpful to provide specific information if you are working with a particular age group within this population. The term Substance misuse in this context includes: use of alcohol, psychoactive medication or illicit drugs in a way that can cause psychological, physical or social harm. Name: Are you responding as an individual or on behalf of an organisation? Please delete as appropriate I NDIVIDUAL/ORGANISATION Name and full address Area of work: Health and social care including mental health Housing and criminal justice system Commissioning/policy or strategic services Criminal Justice including police, probation, prison Substance misuse (drugs and alcohol) Other (please specify) Which sector do you work in? (Please tick one box only) Statutory Voluntary/Third sector Private

4 1. Would you be happy for us to contact you again to explore your views further? If yes, please complete the details below: Name Job title and organisation Telephone number From the perspective of your role/service: 2. What do you consider to be the main issues currently facing older substance misusers in Wales? 3. What should the national goals and priorities be in terms of improving and supporting the health and wellbeing of older substance misusers in Wales? 4. How could older substance misusers be given more power to shape services?

5 5. Are there any policies, services or coalitions that you feel demonstrate best practice in this field? We are interested in initiatives, policies, programmes or services that have been designed or adapted specifically or are particularly effective for this age group 6. Have you encountered any problems/barriers in accessing appropriate accommodation settings for anyone with substance misuse issues? Accommodation settings would include both temporary (such as Hostels, Refuges, Residential Care Homes, Foster Placements, Rehabilitation Placements etc) and permanent settings (such as Housing Associations, Local Authority Housing, Private Rented Sector etc). If Yes, please specify and describe outcomes 7. What assets (including people, time and space) are available to engage with older people with, or at risk of developing, substance misuse issues?

6 8. What are the barriers, nationally and locally to identifying and working effectively with older people with, or at risk of developing substance misuse issues? 9. How are older substance misusers identified / referred into your service? Is this process formal or informal? (please attach any relevant referral forms) 10. What are the barriers to older substance misusers accessing your service specifically?

7 11. What assessment tools (generic and/or specific to substance misusers) do you use to assess your service users? Are these tools effective in assessing the needs and preferences of older substance misuse? (please attach any relevant assessment forms) 12. Do you refer older substance misusers to other services? If so, which services? Is this process formal or informal? (please attach any relevant referral forms) 13. Are there any challenges specific to working with older substance misusers in your service?

8 14. How could your service evolve to better meet the needs of older substance misusers? Additional questions for Commissioners 15. Do you believe you have sufficient information/evidence to commission services that meet the needs of older substance misusers? Additional comments (please enter any additional comments or observations you feel have not been directly addressed in the questions above) thanks for completing this survey: Please submit your written evidence to Daryl Kent at: by no later than Tuesday 24 th February 2015.

9 Substance Misuse in an Ageing Population Sub Committee of APoSM Annex B Kyrie James Member of the International Association of Women Judges Associate-Rapporteur for the UK Rapporteur s Working Party on Vulnerable Persons of the International Association of Refugee Law Judges Member of the Council for Immigration Judges Dr Sarah Wadd Dr Rosemary Allgeier Josie Smith Karen Ozzati Patricia Charles Professor Simon Moore University of Bedfordshire Principal Pharmacist in Public Health, Public Health Wales Research Scientist, Public Health Wales Chief Executive, Welsh Centre for Action on Dependency and Addiction Chair of Cymru Older People s Alliance, South East Wales Violence & Society Research Group School of Dentistry, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff Ifor Glyn David Liddle Dr Andrew Wilson Professor Simon Moore Chief Executive, SANDS Cymru Chief Executive of Scottish Drugs Forum Nottingham and Trent University Cardiff University

10 DISTRIBUTION LIST Substance Misuse Specific Stakeholders Chairs Area Planning Boards Substance Misuse Lead Officers Substance Misuse Service Providers Service User Organisations Royal Colleges Royal College of Psychiatrists- National Addiction Faculty and Welsh faculty Royal College of Physicians (Wales) The Royal College of General Practitioners Royal Pharmaceutical Society Health Board Chief Executives Medical Directors /Assistant Medical Directors Finance Directors Nurse Directors Chief Pharmacists Medicine Information Pharmacists National Public Health Consultants in Pharmaceutical Public Health Directors of Public Health Others: All Wales Medicines Strategy Group Community Pharmacy Wales. Community Health Councils Wales Hospital Chief Pharmacists Local Medicines Committees Practice Managers (by Health Board) Individual Community Health Councils General Practitioners Committee Wales Welsh Pain Society Pain Community Centre (Cardiff University) Pain Sub Group, National Specialty Advisory Group Royal College of Anaesthetists Advisory Board for Wales Older People s Commissioner Wales Council for Voluntary Action Criminal Justice System Prison Police IOIS Probation Judiciary Housing, Residential Care Homes LA /RSL providers Homeless shelter Health Leads in Prisons Chief Constables AWSUM Alcohol Health Alliance Association of Directors of Social Services CARAT Teams