Warwickshire Drugs Needs Assessment (2022) - Publications

National drug policy is centred around three ambitions: breaking drug supply chains, improving treatment and recovery services, and reducing future demand for drugs through prevention and education.

Warwickshire's local strategies support these ambitions through work on community safety, serious violence prevention, health inequalities, homelessness prevention and safeguarding vulnerable people.

Partnership working between local authorities, health services, criminal justice agencies and community organisations is recognised as essential to reducing drug-related harm.

Drug-related harm is not evenly distributed across the population. Higher levels of need are seen among people experiencing mental ill health, homelessness, unemployment, learning disabilities and involvement with the criminal justice system.

Vulnerable children and young people, including those in care, excluded from education, or affected by parental substance use, are more likely to experience harms associated with drugs and alcohol.

County lines activity and criminal exploitation can place vulnerable children and adults at risk of harm.

Deprivation, social isolation and adverse life experiences increase the likelihood of problematic substance use and poorer outcomes.

Effective responses combine prevention, harm reduction, treatment and long-term recovery support.

Harm reduction measures, including needle exchange programmes and naloxone distribution, help prevent overdoses and reduce health risks.

Recovery is strengthened through peer support, community-based recovery networks and flexible treatment approaches.

Prevention is most effective when it addresses the wider factors that increase vulnerability and builds resilience within communities, families and schools.

Specialist support is provided through Change Grow Live (CGL) for adults and Compass for children and young people. Both services offer treatment, recovery support, harm reduction and early intervention.

Warwickshire has maintained engagement with people needing support despite reductions in public funding and increasing demand.

Drug and alcohol partners have established strong strategic relationships and a Drug and Alcohol Strategic Partnership to coordinate activity across the system.

However, challenges remain in reaching some communities and strengthening referral routes from health and criminal justice services.

Around one in five people estimated to need alcohol treatment are currently receiving it, reflecting a challenge seen nationally.

Warwickshire has lower rates of alcohol-related mortality and hospital admissions than England overall.

Self-referral is the most common route into treatment, while referrals from health services and other professionals are comparatively low.

Warwickshire has lower estimated rates of opiate and crack cocaine use than England overall but engages a greater proportion of people needing treatment.

Crack cocaine use is more common among people in treatment than nationally, and local police report high availability and demand.

Drug treatment outcomes are generally positive, particularly for people reducing or stopping crack cocaine and opiate use.

Asian communities appear to be underrepresented in treatment services compared with the county population.

Fewer young people are accessing treatment despite evidence of increasing substance use among young people nationally.

Local treatment data suggests cocaine, ecstasy and alcohol may be more prominent issues than seen nationally.

Warwickshire experiences higher rates of alcohol-related hospital admissions among under-18s than the national average.

Boys and young men appear less likely to access treatment services, highlighting a potential unmet need.

Alcohol, heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine and cannabis were consistently identified as the substances causing the greatest harm in Warwickshire.

Participants reported that many substances are readily available and relatively easy to obtain.

Young people highlighted concerns about the influence of social media in normalising and promoting substance use.

The pandemic was widely reported to have increased substance use among some people due to isolation and deteriorating mental health.

County lines activity and cuckooing were widely reported as ongoing concerns across the county.

Warwickshire is primarily affected by county lines operating from larger cities outside the county.

Participants supported stronger action to disrupt organised crime groups and reduce exploitation of vulnerable people.

Preventing exploitation requires coordinated action across policing, safeguarding, education and community services.

Common barriers to treatment included stigma, waiting times, limited awareness of services and capacity pressures.

Significant gaps were identified for people with co-existing mental health needs, learning disabilities, pregnant women, sex workers and families affected by substance use.

There is a need for greater support for carers, partners and children affected by another person's substance use.

Participants consistently identified prevention and education as key priorities.

There was strong support for improving awareness of the risks associated with substance use and increasing knowledge of available support.

A whole-family approach was widely supported, particularly for children affected by parental substance use.

Building resilience, life skills and healthy coping mechanisms among children and young people was viewed as essential for reducing future demand.