Board members to receive an update on the Alcohol Dashboard.

Laura Juett, Senior Public Health Commissioning and Policy Officer presented to the Board the Alcohol Dashboard.  It was reported that the overall aim was to reduce alcohol related harm in the city to include:

·           the rate of alcohol attributable hospital admissions;

·           the levels of harmful drinking by adults and young people;

·           alcohol related violence;

·           alcohol related anti-social behaviour;

·           the number of children affected by parental alcohol misuse.

The following comments were made by Board members –

(a)           the city is surrounded by a significant population that travel in for various reasons and the city therefore picks up both the benefits and the potential harm issues;

(b)          alcohol cuts across a number of areas that the Health and Wellbeing Board look at and how we align the alcohol issues with the decisions this Board makes.

In response to questions raised, it was reported that –

(c)           hospital admissions were mainly by people from 45 years upwards that were experiencing more chronic health harms due to long term alcohol abuse.  Young people presenting to the emergency department were due to assaults;

(d)          progress is being made against the alcohol agenda for Plymouth.

Agreed that other Health and Wellbeing Boards are explored with regard to the alcohol agenda via the Local Government Association.