Agenda and minutes

The apologies of the Chair, Councillor McEwing, were noted.

COUNCILLOR FULLER IN THE CHAIR

To approve and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the meetings held on 23 November 2017 and to deal with any matters arising.

RESOLVED that the minutes for the meeting held on 23 November, 2017 be approved and signed as a correct record.

The Panel considered the report of the Service Director, Legal and Governance, regarding alternatives to public injecting.

Charlotte Matthews, Public Health Consultant; Detective Chief Inspector Ben Chivers, Hampshire Constabulary; Collin McAllister, Integrated Commissioning Unit; Dr Jason Horsley, Director of Public Health; and Dr Prun Bijral,  Medical Director, CGL - Change, Grow, Live; were in attendance and with the consent of the chair addressed the Panel.

Following discussions with invited representatives the Panel concluded that:

·  Drug consumption rooms have been evidenced to be effective at decreasing public injecting and reducing drug related litter.

·  DCRs, especially those providing Heroin Assisted Treatment (HAT), could also provide additional benefits relating, for example, to reducing harm and engaging people who use drugs in support services.

·  DCRs were currently illegal in the UK.  If they were permitted, DCRs could be a local intervention, working in conjunction with existing services, which respond to the needs of the local drug-using population.

·  DCRs /HAT should not be developed to the detriment of existing services.

·  Any policy decision relating to DCRs in Southampton would need to be supported by a robust evaluation to assess fully the benefits and value for money.

·  This approach would need to include working in partnership across local government, providers and with other partners to lobby the Government for a change in legislation relating to DCRs.

RESOLVED

  (i)  That the comments from CGL – Care, Grow, Learn, outlining Drug Consumption Rooms policy developments and changing landscapes, also from Public Health and Hampshire Constabulary providing a summary of need in Southampton be noted and used as evidence in the review.

  (ii)  That the presentation received from CGL – Care, Grow, Learn, outlining Drug Consumption Room policy developments and changing landscapes, and from the Public Health Consultant providing a summary of need in Southampton as well as the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) paper, Perspectives on Drugs – Drug consumption rooms: an overview of provision and evidence, the EMCDDA you tube video, Drug Consumption Rooms and the Drug Related Litter – Literature Review Summary be noted and also used as evidence in the review.